Nests for medical containers with reduced warping and residual stress.

Abstract

A nest is provided configured to support a medical container. The nest comprises a support plate having a first surface, a second surface, and a periphery between the first and second surfaces, the support plate being configured as a frame-shaped plate having a hollow inner region. The nest also comprises a plurality of chimneys extending outward from the first surface and defining a receptacle configured to receive a medical container. The chimneys include a group of inner chimneys located in the hollow inner region of the frame-shaped plate and a group of outer chimneys surrounding the group of inner chimneys, each of the outer chimneys being at least partially joined to the inner edge of the frame-shaped plate at its lower end. The nest further comprises reinforcing ribs extending between the plurality of chimneys and connecting each chimney to a plurality of adjacent chimneys.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] Cross-reference of related applications This application claims priority to European Patent Application No. 23195150.0, filed on 4 September 2023, entitled “Medical Container Nest with Reduced Warpage and Residual Stress,” the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

[0002] Technical field to which the invention belongs This disclosure relates in general to a holding device for holding medical containers such as cartridges, barrels, pre-filled syringes, stoppers, and / or pre-fillable syringes in an upright position, and more particularly to a nest for medical containers comprising a plurality of chimneys configured therein to hold medical containers, and having ribs extending between at least some of the plurality of chimneys to increase the rigidity of a support plate. [Background technology]

[0003] Description of related technologies Medical containers, such as cartridges, barrels, pre-filled syringes, stoppers, and / or pre-fillable syringes, often need to be transported from one location to another during or after manufacturing. For example, medical containers may be manufactured at a first location and then transported to a second location where they are filled with a medical fluid. As used herein, “medical fluid” may refer to a drug or other therapeutic agent used to treat a chronic or acute condition, as is known in the art. Exemplary therapeutic agents may include, for example, drugs, chemicals, biological substances, or biochemical substances that achieve a desired therapeutic effect when delivered to a patient in a therapeutically effective dose. In other examples, medical containers may be manufactured and filled at the same first location and then transported to a second location for storage.

[0004] During transport, medical containers may be held by a holding device such as a tray or “nest.” A nest may be a plate-like tray configured to support multiple medical containers in an upright orientation. A nest may comprise multiple “chimneys” aligned according to a predetermined row or pattern, each chimney defining a receptacle or opening configured to receive one medical container. Once inserted into and through the receptacle, the medical container is held in an upright orientation substantially perpendicular to the nest. Nests are typically housed in a box-shaped tab with an open top that can be sealed by a sealing cover. Removing a medical container from this tab may require removing the sealing cover, removing the nest holding the medical container from the tab, and sliding the medical container axially against the nest to remove it from the nest.

[0005] As is known in the art, the nests described above are typically formed via an injection molding process, in which the nest is formed in a single process by injecting a fluid polymer material between a first mold and a second mold, i.e., the support plate and chimney of the nest are integrally formed from the same material. For example, the nests of the present disclosure may include thermoplastic materials, preferably polypropylene, or polyester, polycarbonate, polyethylene, polyethylene terephthalate, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene, or other injection-mold or moldable resin materials as known in the art.

[0006] A recognized drawback of the molding of nests as described above is that nests tend to warp over time. That is, due to the molding material used and the structure of the nest (i.e., a larger, flat support plate with multiple chimneys extending from it), nests are susceptible to "natural" warpage or deformation caused by residual stress present inside the nest components that are released over time (due to the injection molding process). As a result of nest warping / deformation, medical containers supported by deformed nests may not be able to maintain an upright orientation, which can lead to some inaccuracy during the automated filling process and / or the stopping process. Nest deformation can also cause problems during the transport of filled nests to different locations.

[0007] For these reasons, there is a need for nest designs that are less sensitive to natural warping (and deformation) that may result from the nest molding process. These nest designs not only offer reduced sensitivity to natural warping, but also provide improved stiffness to minimize deflection of the nest or tray during transport and filling. Avoiding warping and deformation can improve the accuracy of the filling process by avoiding misalignment between the medical containers contained in the tray or nest and the automated filling machine. [Overview of the Initiative]

[0008] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, a nest is provided configured to support a medical container. The nest comprises a support plate having a first surface, a second surface, and a peripheral edge between the first surface and the second surface, the support plate being configured as a frame-shaped plate having a hollow interior area. The nest also comprises a plurality of chimneys extending outward from a first surface, each of which defines a receptacle configured to receive a medical container, each of which has an upper end defining an upper opening and a lower end defining a lower opening, and the plurality of chimneys includes an interior chimney group comprising a plurality of interior chimneys, which are located in the hollow inner region of the frame-shaped plate, and a perimeter chimney group surrounding the interior chimney group, which comprises a plurality of perimeter chimneys, each of which has at least partially joined at its lower end to the inner edge of the frame-shaped plate. The nest further comprises reinforcing ribs extending between the plurality of chimneys, which connect each chimney to a plurality of adjacent chimneys.

[0009] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, the reinforcing ribs are perpendicular to the support plate and extend upward from the lower end of each chimney to a height of at least one-quarter of the chimney height.

[0010] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, the height of each reinforcing rib is equal to the height of each of the multiple chimneys, thereby the reinforcing ribs extend from the lower end to the upper end of each chimney.

[0011] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, the arrangement of six reinforcing ribs connects each of the multiple inner chimneys to six adjacent chimneys in a hexagonal arrangement.

[0012] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, the arrangement of four reinforcing ribs connects each of the multiple inner chimneys to four adjacent chimneys arranged in a cross shape.

[0013] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, the nest further comprises a plurality of plate sections arranged in a planar configuration with respect to a support plate in a hollow inner region, each of which plate sections is positioned between groups of chimneys of a plurality of inner chimneys, and the lower edge of each of the reinforcing ribs joining the respective groups of chimneys is joined to the respective plate section.

[0014] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, a plurality of chimneys are configured to accept syringes with volumes ranging from 0.5 mL to 50 mL.

[0015] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, each of a plurality of chimneys comprises a tubular wall, the tubular wall having a cylindrical inner surface having a diameter substantially the same as the diameters of the upper and lower openings of the chimney, and a cylindrical outer surface opposite to the inner surface.

[0016] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, the support plate, the multiple chimneys, and the reinforcing ribs are integrally formed and made from a thermoplastic polymer.

[0017] According to one aspect of this disclosure, when the medical container is fully loaded, the deflection of the support plate is less than 1.0 mm in the vertical direction.

[0018] Another aspect of the present disclosure provides a nest configured to support a medical container. The nest comprises a support plate having a first surface, a second surface, and a periphery between the first surface and the second surface, and a plurality of chimneys extending outward from the first surface, each of the plurality of chimneys defining a receptacle configured therein for receiving a medical container, and each of the plurality of chimneys having an upper end defining an upper opening and a lower end defining a lower opening. Reinforcing ribs extend between at least some of the plurality of chimneys, and the reinforcing ribs connect each chimney to one or more adjacent chimneys. The reinforcing ribs are perpendicular to the support plate and extend upward from the lower end of each chimney to a height of at least half the height of the chimney.

[0019] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, the height of each reinforcing rib is equal to the height of each of the multiple chimneys, thereby the reinforcing ribs extend from the lower end to the upper end of each chimney.

[0020] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, the plurality of chimneys includes an inner chimney group comprising a plurality of inner chimneys, and an outer chimney group surrounding the inner chimney group, comprising a plurality of outer chimneys.

[0021] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, the support plate comprises a frame-shaped plate having a hollow inner region, the inner chimney group is arranged in the hollow inner region of the frame-shaped plate, and each of the plurality of outer periphery chimneys is at least partially joined to the inner edge of the frame-shaped plate at the lower end of the chimney.

[0022] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, the support plate includes a pair of notches extending inward from a peripheral edge thereof, the first notch being formed on a first transverse side of the support plate, the second notch being formed on a second transverse side of the support plate, and the reinforcing ribs include a first arrangement of reinforcing ribs connecting each of a plurality of chimneys in a row of chimneys disposed between the first notch and the second notch, and a second arrangement of reinforcing ribs connecting each of a plurality of outer peripheral chimneys to an adjacent outer peripheral chimney.

[0023] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, the arrangement of reinforcing ribs connects each of a plurality of inner chimneys to a chimney adjacent thereto, and the arrangement of reinforcing ribs includes an arrangement of six reinforcing ribs connecting each of the plurality of inner chimneys to six adjacent chimneys, or an arrangement of four reinforcing ribs connecting each of the plurality of inner chimneys to four adjacent chimneys in a cross-shaped arrangement. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0024] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a nest configured to support a medical container according to an aspect of the present disclosure. [Figure 2] FIG. 1 is a top view of the nest of FIG. 1. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the nest of FIG. 2. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a nest configured to support a medical container according to another aspect of the present disclosure. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a top view of the nest of FIG. 4. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a nest configured to support a medical container according to another aspect of the present disclosure. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a top view of a nest configured to support a medical container according to another aspect of the present disclosure. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of the nest of FIG. 7. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a nest configured to support a medical container according to another aspect of the present disclosure. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0025] Detailed description of the invention The following description is provided to enable those skilled in the art to create and use the described embodiments intended for carrying out 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 fall within the spirit and scope of the invention.

[0026] For the convenience of the following description, the terms “upper,” “lower,” “right,” “left,” “vertical,” “horizontal,” “top,” “bottom,” “lateral,” “longitudinal,” and “transverse,” and their derivatives, refer to the present invention as it is positioned in the orientation shown in the drawings. However, unless the opposite is expressly specified, it should be understood that the present invention may assume alternative variations and sequences of steps. It should also be understood that certain devices and processes shown in the accompanying drawings and described in the following specification are merely exemplary embodiments of the present invention. Therefore, certain dimensions and other physical characteristics relating to the embodiments disclosed herein should not be considered limiting.

[0027] Referring to the drawings, the present disclosure relates to a holding device or “nest” 10 comprising a chimney or receptacle for holding multiple medical containers, such as multiple cartridges, barrels, stoppers, pre-filled syringes, and / or pre-fillable syringes, in an upright position. In particular, the nest 10 may be configured to simultaneously support multiple medical containers in an upright position during packaging, storage, transport, and / or handling of multiple medical containers by an automated filling machine.

[0028] 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 positioned inside the barrel, and a plunger rod that moves the stopper through the barrel to discharge the medical fluid through a tip, fluid port, nozzle, or needle cannula at the end of the barrel. The reservoir of a medical container held by the nest 10 of this disclosure can contain 0.5 mL to 50 mL, or preferably about 1 mL to 10 mL, of medical fluid. The medical container may also include a flange at the end of the barrel, which may provide a surface for the user's fingers (e.g., index and middle fingers) to position while the plunger rod is operated by the thumb.

[0029] According to aspects of the present disclosure, the nest 10 may include features that limit the (natural) warping of the nest 10 that may result from its manufacture, and / or features that increase the stiffness of the nest 10. In particular, the nest 10 may be configured to limit warping during the manufacture (i.e., molding) of the nest 10, and / or to resist deformation of the nest 10 during transport after the held medical containers have been filled.

[0030] According to aspects of this disclosure, the nest 10 may be designed to reduce residual stress within the nest 10 that may exist as a result of the molding of the nest 10.

[0031] According to additional embodiments of the present disclosure, the nest 10 may be configured to resist deformation after the medical containers held therein are fully loaded. As an example, in a nest 10 configured to include 100 chimneys loaded with 1 mL to 3 mL filled medical containers, the nest 10 may deflect by approximately 0.57 mm or less (depending on the precise arrangement of the externally positioned support holding the nest), as determined by finite element analysis (FEA). In contrast, a conventional nest containing 100 chimneys but with conventional reinforcing ribs was found by FEA to deflect by approximately 85% more compared to the nest of the present disclosure. In other embodiments, the nest 10 may be configured to include 42 chimneys loaded with 10 mL filled medical containers, in which case the nest also exhibits reduced deflection compared to a nest containing 42 chimneys but with conventional reinforcing ribs.

[0032] As described above, the nest 10 of the present disclosure is configured to be placed inside a tab-like container. For example, the nest 10 of the present disclosure may be placed over the open top of a tab to cover the inside of the tab. A medical container may be inserted through the chimney of the nest 10, so that the distal portion of the medical container (i.e., the portion of the medical container furthest from the portion of the device or container that is grasped or manipulated by the user) is inside the tab, and the side walls of the medical container are supported by the chimney of the nest 10.

[0033] Referring here to the drawings, Figures 1 to 3 show an exemplary nest 10a configured to support a medical container according to one aspect of the present disclosure. The nest 10a comprises a support plate 12 having a first or upper surface 14, a second or lower surface 16, and a periphery 18 extending around the support plate 12 between the upper surface 14 and the lower surface 16. The support plate 12 is configured as a frame-shaped plate having an exterior area 20 and a hollow inner area 22. The exterior area 20 is defined between the periphery 18 and the inner edge 24 and surrounds the hollow inner area 22.

[0034] In some examples, the perimeter of the support plate 12 is substantially rectangular in shape and has longitudinal sides 26 and transverse sides 28. As used herein, “longitudinal sides” refers to the sides 26 of the support plate 12 having a length L1 (shown in Figure 2), and “transverse sides” refers to the sides 28 of the support plate 12 having a length L2. In some embodiments, the length L1 of the longitudinal side 26 is longer than the length L2 of the transverse side 28. In other embodiments, the support plate 12 may be square, in which case the longitudinal sides 26 and transverse sides 28 are the same length (i.e., L1 is equal to L2). As shown in Figure 2, the substantially rectangular support plate 12 defines a first axis X1 (also referred to as the longitudinal, horizontal, or x-axis) extending parallel to the longitudinal side 26 of the support plate 12, and a second axis X2 (also referred to as the transverse, latitudinal, vertical, or y-axis) extending parallel to the transverse side 28 of the support plate 12. The dimensions of the support plate 12 will be determined by a person skilled in the art based on the number of medical containers that can be supported by the nest 10a, the dimensions of the medical containers, and / or the dimensions of the tabs or containers to which the nest 10a is attached.

[0035] The support plate 12 may also include notches 30a, 30b extending inward from other parts of the periphery 18. For example, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, the support plate 12 includes a first notch 30a on one of the lateral sides 28 of the support plate 12 and a second notch 30b on a second lateral side 28 of the support plate 12. The first and second notches 30a, 30b may be aligned along the longitudinal axis or first axis X1 of the support plate 12. In some examples, the notches 30a, 30b are U-shaped gaps or openings extending inward from the periphery 18 of the support plate 12. The nest 10a may also include a curved wall 32 extending from the upper surface 14 and / or lower surface 16 of the support plate 12 and around at least a portion of the first notch 30a and / or the second notch 30b.

[0036] The nest 10a further comprises tubular walls, members, or ridges (hereinafter referred to as "chimneys 34") projecting outward and upward from a plane defined by the upper surface 14 of the support plate 12. Each chimney 34 may include a cylindrical wall 36 having a cylindrical inner surface 38 having an inner diameter and a cylindrical outer surface 40 having an outer diameter opposite to the inner surface 38. The cylindrical inner surface 38 of each chimney 34 defines a receptacle 42 configured to receive a medical container therein. The receptacle 42 includes a top opening 44 at the upper end of the chimney 34 (i.e., the upper edge of the cylindrical wall 36) and a bottom opening 46 at the lower end of the chimney 34 (i.e., the lower edge of the cylindrical wall 36).

[0037] The receptacle 42 is sized to support the medical container in an upright position. For example, the receptacle 42 may have enough width to allow the side wall or barrel of the medical container to pass through the receptacle 42, while preventing the flange or other protruding portion of the medical container from passing through the receptacle 42. Thus, when the medical container is inserted through one of the receptacles 42, the flange of the medical container rests on the upper edge of the chimney 34, thereby holding the medical container in an upright position. The dimensions of the receptacle 42 generally depend on the size of the medical container intended to be used with the nest 10a.

[0038] The chimney 34 provided in the nest 10a can generally be characterized as including an outer chimney 34a and an inner chimney 34b. The outer chimney 34a is a chimney that forms the perimeter over the entire arrangement of the chimneys 34, while the inner chimney 34b is surrounded by the outer chimney 34a. According to an aspect of the present disclosure, the outer chimneys 34a may be directly bonded (i.e., integrally formed) to the support plate 12, and a portion of the lower end of each outer chimney 34a is bonded to the support plate 12. That is, each outer chimney 34a has a lower end that is partially bonded to the frame-shaped support plate 12 along its inner edge 24. Conversely, the inner chimney 34b is located within the hollow inner region 22 of the frame-shaped support plate 12 and is not directly bonded to the support plate 12, but instead is simply bonded to the outer chimney 34a via reinforcing ribs, as will be described in detail below.

[0039] As described above, the nest 10a is provided with a structure for increasing the rigidity of the support plate 12 and for resisting deflection or deformation when the nest 10a is fully filled with a medical container. In particular, the nest 10a is provided with a plurality of radial reinforcing ribs 48 that connect adjacent chimneys 34 to each other in order to rigidify the nest 10a. According to the embodiment, each of the ribs 48 is structured as a planar wall-like member oriented perpendicular and / or orthogonal to the support plate 12. Each rib 48 extends between an adjacent pair of chimneys 34, and the rib 48 is formed integrally with the chimneys 34 as part of a single nest structure. As shown in Figures 1 and 2, in embodiments where the chimneys 34 are arranged in a hexagonal configuration, each inner chimney 34b includes six ribs 48 extending radially outward from there to six adjacent chimneys 34 arranged in a hexagonal pattern around it, while each outer periphery chimney 34a includes at least two ribs 48 extending radially outward from there to two adjacent chimneys 34.

[0040] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, the rib 48 has a height that adds a desired stiffness to the nest 10a so that the nest 10a is more resistant to deflection or deformation when the nest 10a is fully filled with a medical container. Thus, the rib 48 has a chimney height "H チムニー The height "H" is at least one-quarter of the height of "". リブ The ribs 48 are configured to have a height "H" such that the lower edge of the rib 48 is generally aligned with the lower end of the chimney 34 and extends upward from there. According to some embodiments, each of the ribs 48 is configured such that the rib 48 extends along the entire length of the chimney 34 between its lower and upper ends, so as to the height "H" of the chimney. チムニー Height equal to "H リブ It can be configured to have ".

[0041] The structure of nest 10a as described above may improve the performance and lifespan of nest 10a compared to previous nest designs. Firstly, the increased height of the reinforcing ribs 48 formed between the chimneys (with the ribs 48 having a height of at least one-quarter of the height of the chimney 34) improves the ability of nest 10a to resist deflection or deformation when nest 10a is fully filled with a medical container. Secondly, by forming the support plate 12 as a frame-shaped plate having a hollow inner region 22, parts of nest 10a that could contribute to unpredictable curvature and / or deflection (i.e., "flatness issues") after molding and / or sterilization, even in nest designs incorporating reinforcing ribs, are eliminated. In other words, it is recognized that the inner region 22 of the support plate 12 can cause part of the flatness problem due to the difference in differential shrinkage rates of that region of the support plate 12 compared to the chimney 34, thereby resulting in residual constraints on the nest 10a after the molding process. Removing the inner region 22 of the support plate 12 by structuring the support plate as a frame-shaped plate can eliminate this factor of the flatness problem without adversely affecting the rigidity of the support plate 12, as confirmed by FEA, since the inner region 22 of the support plate 12 contributes little to the rigidity of the plate.

[0042] According to aspects of the present disclosure, configuring the nest 10a to include a frame-shaped support plate 12 having a hollow inner region 22, as opposed to a continuous / solid support plate 12, serves to eliminate some natural warping of the nest caused by residual constraints in the nest 10a after the molding process. According to FEA, warping of the nest 10a (and its support plate 12) can be reduced by including the hollow inner region 22 in the support plate 12.

[0043] In some embodiments, as shown in Figures 4 and 5, the nest 10a may be modified to include a plurality of plate sections 49 arranged within its hollow inner region. That is, several (a number of) plate sections 49 (Figure 5) may be provided between selected groupings of the inner chimney 34b. The plate sections 49 are similar in thickness and construction to the other parts of the support plate 12, and the plate sections 49 are in planar arrangement with the support plate 12. The plate sections 49 are joined to their respective reinforcing ribs 48 and inner chimneys 34b for each grouping of the chimneys 34b to which they are associated, and the lower edges of each reinforcing rib 48 extending between each grouping of the chimneys 34b are joined to their respective plate sections 49. The plate section 49 may function to add stiffness / rigidity to the nest 10a to resist deflection or deformation of the nest 10a, while keeping the nest 10a less sensitive to natural warping by reducing the residual stress within it arising from the molding process.

[0044] Figure 6 shows another example of nest 10b with optimized reinforcing ribs 48. Nest 10b is configured to include 42 chimneys 34 that house 10 mL medical containers, the chimneys 34 arranged in multiple aligned rows and columns.

[0045] Nest 10b is configured similarly to nest 10 shown and described earlier in Figures 1 to 3, and comprises a frame-shaped support plate 12 having an upper surface 14, a lower surface 16, a peripheral edge 18, and an inner edge 24, the plate defining a hollow inner region 22. Chimney 34 includes a plurality of outer chimneys 34a and inner chimneys 34b, the outer chimneys 34a forming a perimeter over the entire arrangement of chimneys 34, while the inner chimneys 34b are surrounded by the outer chimneys 34a. The outer chimneys 34a may be directly joined (i.e., integrally formed) to the support plate 12, and a portion of the lower end of each outer chimney 34a is joined to the support plate 12. That is, each outer chimney 34a has a lower end that is partially joined to the frame-shaped support plate 12 along its inner edge 24. Conversely, the inner chimney 34b is located within the hollow inner region 22 of the frame-shaped support plate 12 and is not directly joined to the support plate 12, but rather is simply joined to the outer chimney 34a via the reinforcing ribs 48.

[0046] Multiple radial reinforcing ribs 48 connect adjacent chimneys 34 to each other to stiffen the nest 10. Each rib 48 is structured as a planar wall-like member oriented perpendicular and / or orthogonal to the support plate 12, and each rib 48 extends between adjacent pairs of chimneys 34, and the rib 48 is formed integrally with the chimneys 34 as part of a single nest structure. In embodiments where the chimneys 34 are provided in multiple aligned rows and columns, as shown in Figure 4, each inner chimney 34b includes four ribs 48 extending radially outward from there to four adjacent chimneys 34 arranged around it, with the ribs 48 arranged in a cross pattern. Each outer periphery chimney 34a includes two or three ribs 48 extending radially outward from there to adjacent chimneys 34. As previously stated, the ribs 48 extend to the height of the chimney "H チムニー The height "H" is at least one-quarter of the height of "". リブ", wherein the lower edge of ribs 48 is generally aligned with the lower end of chimneys 34 and extends upward therefrom. According to some embodiments, each of ribs 48 may be configured to have a height "H チムニー " equal to the chimney height "H リブ ", wherein rib 48 extends along the entire length of chimney 34 between its lower end and upper end.

[0047] The configuration of nest 10b as described above can improve the performance and service life of nest 10b compared with previous nest designs. That is, the increased height of reinforcing ribs 48 formed between chimneys 34 improves the ability of nest 10b to resist deflection or deformation when nest 10b is completely filled with medical containers, while the frame-shaped support plate 12 (having hollow inner region 22) helps address flatness issues that may occur after nest 10b is molded and / or after sterilization.

[0048] Figures 7 and 8 show another example of nest 10c provided with optimized reinforcing ribs 48. Nest 10c is identical to nest 10a shown in Figures 1 to 3, except that support plate 12 is structured to exclude the hollow inner region 22 of the foregoing embodiment, that is, support plate 12 is a rectangular plate without a hollow inner area / region. Support plate 12 is structured as a more continuous plate, and each of chimneys 34 is joined to support plate 12 at the lower end of chimney 34.

[0049] As described in detail above, nest 10c is provided with radial reinforcing ribs 48 that connect adjacent chimneys 34 to each other for stiffening nest 10. Here again, ribs 48 have a height "H チムニー " that is at least one quarter of the chimney height "H リブThe ribs are configured to have a height "H" such that the lower edge of the rib 48 is generally aligned with the lower end of the chimney 34 and extends upward from there to at least the vertical midpoint of the chimney 34. According to some embodiments, each of the ribs 48 is configured such that the rib 48 extends along the entire length of the chimney 34 between its lower and upper ends, so as to the height "H" of the chimney. チムニー Height equal to "H リブ The rib 48 may be configured to have the following characteristics: The rib 48 is configured in this way, so that the nest 10c exhibits increased rigidity, improving the nest 10c's ability to resist deflection or deformation when the nest 10c is fully filled with a medical container.

[0050] Figure 9 shows another exemplary nest 10d with optimized reinforcing ribs 48. Nest 10d is identical to nest 10c in Figures 7 and 8 with respect to the structure of the support plate 12 and the arrangement of the chimneys 34, but nest 10d includes a modified arrangement of reinforcing ribs 48. With respect to the arrangement of reinforcing ribs 48 provided in nest 10d, it has been recognized that including ribs 48 at specific designated locations on nest 10d contributes to increasing the rigidity / stiffness of nest 10d more than including ribs 48 at other locations, and as a result, ribs 48 are not required between all adjacent pairs of chimneys 34. In the illustrated embodiment, ribs 48 are provided between all adjacent outer perimeter chimneys 34a and between each pair of adjacent chimneys 34 extending in a line 50 between the first notch 30a and the second notch 30b of nest 10d. Furthermore, the ribs 48 may be provided between at least several adjacent inner chimneys 34b located adjacent to / near the longitudinal side portions 26 of the support plate 12. Including the ribs 48 between the chimneys 34 at these locations, as determined by FEA, contributes most to increasing the rigidity / stiffness of the nest 10d.

[0051] The nests of this disclosure may be made from a variety of plastic materials commonly used for disposable medical packaging, containers, and / or devices. Furthermore, the nests may be made by a variety of forming and molding processes as known in the art. For example, the nests of this disclosure may include thermoplastic materials, preferably polypropylene, or polyester, polycarbonate, polyethylene, polyethylene terephthalate, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene, or other injection-mold or moldable resin materials as known in the art. In some examples, the support plate 12 and the chimney 34 may be formed integrally from the same material, for example, from the same thermoplastic material. In some examples, the nest is formed by a single injection molding process in which the nest is formed by injecting a fluid polymer material between a first mold and a second mold in a single process. In other examples, the nests 10a to 10d may be made by three-dimensional printing by processes known in the art.

[0052] Beneficially, embodiments of the present disclosure thus provide a nest having increased rigidity that reduces deflection of the nest or tray during manufacturing, transport, and / or filling. The nest features increased height reinforcing ribs that improve the nest's ability to resist deflection or deformation when the nest is fully filled with medical containers. According to some aspects of the present disclosure, the nest features a frame-like plate having a hollow inner region, with a portion of the support plate removed that could contribute to unpredictable curvature and / or deflection (i.e., “flatness issues”) of the nest after molding and / or sterilization. Avoiding deformation of the nest that occurs during the molding process and / or loading of medical containers into the nest can improve the accuracy of the filling process by avoiding misalignment between the medical containers housed in the nest and the automated filling machine, and also allows for improved insertion of medical containers into / out of the nest.

[0053] Examples of support plates are shown in the accompanying drawings and described in detail herein, but other examples will be apparent to those skilled in the art and will be readily fabricated without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. Therefore, the above description is intended to be illustrative rather than restrictive. The invention as described above is defined by the appended claims, and all modifications to the invention that fall within the meaning and equivalents of the claims are encompassed within that scope.

Claims

1. A nest configured to support medical containers, A support plate comprising a first surface, a second surface, and a periphery between the first surface and the second surface, configured as a frame-shaped plate having a hollow inner region, A plurality of chimneys extending outward from the first surface, each of the plurality of chimneys defining a receptacle configured to receive the medical container, each of the plurality of chimneys having an upper end defining an upper opening and a lower end defining a lower opening, the plurality of chimneys, An inner chimney group comprising multiple inner chimneys, wherein the inner chimney group is arranged in the hollow inner region of the frame-shaped plate, An outer chimney group surrounding the inner chimney group, comprising a plurality of outer chimneys, each of which is at least partially joined to the inner edge of the frame-shaped plate at its lower end, Including multiple chimneys, A nest comprising: reinforcing ribs extending between the plurality of chimneys, each of which connects each chimney to a plurality of adjacent chimneys.

2. The nest according to claim 1, wherein the reinforcing ribs are perpendicular to the support plate and extend upward from the lower end of each chimney to a height of at least one-quarter of the height of the chimney.

3. The nest according to claim 2, wherein the height of each of the reinforcing ribs is equal to the height of each of the plurality of chimneys, so that the reinforcing ribs extend from the lower end to the upper end of each chimney.

4. The nest according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the arrangement of the six reinforcing ribs connects each of the plurality of inner chimneys to six adjacent chimneys in a hexagonal arrangement.

5. The nest according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the arrangement of four reinforcing ribs connects each of the plurality of inner chimneys to four adjacent chimneys arranged in a cross shape.

6. The nest according to any one of claims 1 to 5, further comprising a plurality of plate sections arranged in the hollow inner region and in a planar arrangement with the support plate, each of the plate sections being arranged between the groups of chimneys of the plurality of inner chimneys, and the lower edge of each of the reinforcing ribs joining the respective groups of chimneys being joined to the respective plate section.

7. The nest according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the plurality of chimneys are configured to receive syringes having a volume of 0.5 to 50 mL therein.

8. The nest according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein each of the plurality of chimneys comprises a tubular wall having a cylindrical inner surface having substantially the same diameter as the diameters of the upper opening and the lower opening of the chimney, and a cylindrical outer surface opposite to the inner surface.

9. The nest according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the support plate, the plurality of chimneys, and the reinforcing ribs are integrally formed and made of a thermoplastic polymer.

10. The nest according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the deflection of the support plate is less than 1.0 mm in the vertical direction when it is completely filled with the medical container.

11. A nest configured to support medical containers, A support plate having a first surface, a second surface, and a periphery between the first surface and the second surface, A plurality of chimneys extending outward from the first surface, each of the plurality of chimneys defining a receptacle configured to receive a medical container, each of the plurality of chimneys having an upper end defining an upper opening and a lower end defining a lower opening, the plurality of chimneys comprising an inner chimney group comprising a plurality of inner chimneys, and an outer chimney group surrounding the inner chimney group comprising an outer chimney group comprising a plurality of outer chimneys, Including multiple chimneys, A reinforcing rib extending between at least some of the plurality of chimneys, connecting each chimney to one or more adjacent chimneys, Equipped with, A nest in which the reinforcing ribs are perpendicular to the support plate and extend upward from the lower end of each chimney to a height of at least one-quarter of the height of the chimney.

12. The nest according to claim 11, wherein the height of each of the reinforcing ribs is equal to the height of each of the plurality of chimneys, so that the reinforcing ribs extend from the lower end to the upper end of each chimney.

13. The nest according to claim 11, wherein the support plate comprises a frame-shaped plate having a hollow inner region, the inner chimney group is arranged in the hollow inner region of the frame-shaped plate, and each of the plurality of outer peripheral chimneys is at least partially joined to the inner edge of the frame-shaped plate at the lower end of the chimney.

14. The support plate comprises a pair of notches extending inward from its periphery, the first notch being formed on the first lateral side of the support plate, the second notch being formed on the second lateral side of the support plate, and the reinforcing rib is A first arrangement of reinforcing ribs connecting each of the plurality of chimneys in a row of chimneys positioned between the first notch and the second notch, A second arrangement of reinforcing ribs connecting each of the aforementioned plurality of outer perimeter chimneys to an adjacent outer perimeter chimney, The nest according to claim 11, including the following:

15. The nest according to claim 11, wherein the arrangement of reinforcing ribs connects each of the plurality of inner chimneys to an adjacent chimney, and the arrangement of reinforcing ribs includes an arrangement of six reinforcing ribs connecting each of the plurality of inner chimneys to six adjacent chimneys, or an arrangement of four reinforcing ribs connecting each of the plurality of inner chimneys to four adjacent chimneys in a cross shape.

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