Packing nests with plunger stoppers featuring integrated stacking functionality to ensure reliable alignment of stacked nest piles.

Abstract

A nest (10, 30) for storing medical device components, comprising a top surface (19, 31), a bottom surface (21, 39), and a plurality of receptacles (18, 36, 37) for storing a plurality of medical device components therein. Each of the plurality of receptacles (18, 36, 37) may include a sidewall portion extending downwardly from the bottom surface (21, 39) of the nest (10, 30). Additionally, a plurality of ring-shaped projections (22, 38) may be provided extending upwardly from the top surface (19, 31) of the nest (10, 30) and surrounding at least some of the plurality of receptacles (18, 36, 37). The plurality of ring-shaped projections (22, 38) may be sized and configured to receive a bottom of a corresponding one of the plurality of receptacles (18, 37) when the plurality of nests (10, 30) are stacked vertically on one another.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure generally relates to a nesting configuration for the packaging of plunger stoppers used in medical devices such as syringes. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to a nesting arrangement that utilizes various integrated stacking functions to ensure reliable alignment of nests (or stacks) of nests arranged vertically on top of each other.

[0002] This application claims priority to European priority application EP No. 21305099.0, filed on January 26, 2021, titled "A Nest for the Packaging of Plunger Stoppers with Integrated Stacking Features Ensuring a Reliable Alignment of a Pile of Nests", the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

Background Art

[0003] As is known in the art, transfer or storage devices (such as syringes) for the delivery or storage of drugs, medications, or vaccines generally utilize a plunger stopper that contacts the inner surface of a tubular syringe barrel to draw substances into (or expel substances from) the device via a plunger rod.

[0004] Currently, many such devices are filled and assembled using automated filling machines. Such machines not only improve productivity and accuracy but also provide a substantially sterilized and aseptic filling environment. Various components of the device (such as plunger stoppers, syringe barrels, etc.) are provided separately within the filling machine to enable at least a certain level of automated assembly.

[0005] Typically, multiple plunger stoppers are provided in bags or nests (supplied inside bags) that are accessed by the filling machine during assembly. Conversely, syringe barrels are generally packaged in nests that have a number of "chimneys" formed within them to hold the barrel, and each nest is configured to be held in a tab when introduced into the filling machine.

[0006] Current nests for syringe barrels are specifically designed for use with tabs, but current nests designed to hold plunger stoppers are not configured for use with specific tab profiles and do not fit snugly into the tabs used for syringe barrels. Some automated filling machines do not have a tab for holding plunger stopper nests, so this is not a problem. However, other, more recently designed filling machines (e.g., Vanrx SA25 robotic sterile filling work cell from Vanrx Pharmasystems Inc.) are capable of handling only components packaged in both nests and tabs.

[0007] Furthermore, as mentioned above, the currently available nests for plunger stoppers are not designed to be held within existing tab designs, and their nests are not configured for consistently stackable plunger stoppers. Therefore, attempting to utilize existing nests and tabs together in relation to plunger stoppers would result in combinations that, when stacked, lead to unreliable positioning and undesirable nest movement within and / or above or below the tab, which would be problematic for robotic handling of the nests in filling equipment. Documents DE2017103606U1, WO2010062602A1, WO2018020505A1, US2017259948A1 and EP2436408A1 relate to packaging for containers. [Overview of the project]

[0008] Considering the above, a nest specifically designed for plunger stoppers is required, as well as a nest designed to ensure consistent and secure alignment when stacked vertically either inside or outside the tabs.

[0009] Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a nest for storing medical device components. The nest may include a top surface, a bottom surface, and a plurality of receptacles for storing a plurality of medical device components therein. Each of the plurality of receptacles includes a side wall portion extending downward from the bottom surface of the nest. The nest may also include a plurality of ring-shaped projections extending upward from the top surface of the nest and surrounding at least some of the plurality of receptacles. Each of the plurality of ring-shaped projections may be sized and configured to receive the bottom of the corresponding receptacle of the plurality of receptacles when the plurality of nests are stacked perpendicular to each other.

[0010] In some embodiments, the ring-shaped projection may surround each of the multiple receptacles.

[0011] In some embodiments, the ring-shaped projection surrounds fewer receptacles than all of the multiple receptacles.

[0012] In some embodiments, the multiple receptacles are substantially frustoconical in shape.

[0013] In some embodiments, the nest further includes ledge sections surrounding each upper opening of the receptacle.

[0014] In some embodiments, the ledge portion is sized to support one bottom surface of each of multiple receptacles.

[0015] In some embodiments, the width of each ledge portion is approximately 1.5 mm.

[0016] In some embodiments, the height of each of the multiple ring-shaped projections extending over the top surface of the nest is 1.0 to 2.0 mm.

[0017] In some embodiments, the upper surface (23) of each ring-shaped projection is either rounded or chamfered.

[0018] In some embodiments, the sidewall portions of a first set of multiple receptacles extend further downward from the bottom surface of the nest than the sidewall portions of a second set of multiple receptacles.

[0019] In some embodiments, each of the multiple receptacles having a sidewall portion that extends further downward from the bottom surface of the nest than the sidewall portion of a second set of multiple receptacles is surrounded by one of a plurality of ring-shaped projections.

[0020] In some embodiments, the nest further includes at least one finger opening formed therein.

[0021] In some embodiments, the nest further includes a flange that extends at least partially around each finger opening and extends from the bottom surface of the nest.

[0022] In some embodiments, the plurality of receptacles includes 100 to 160 receptacles.

[0023] In some embodiments, the nest is formed of polypropylene.

[0024] Further details and benefits of this disclosure will be understood from the following detailed description, which should be read in conjunction with the attached drawings. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0025] [Figure 1] Figure 1 is an isometric top view of a nest for storing plunger stoppers according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 2]Figure 2 is an isometric view of the bottom of the nest of FIG. 1. [Figure 3] Figure 3 is an isometric sectional view of the nest of FIG. 1. [Figure 4] Figure 4 is a side sectional view of the stopper receptacle of the nest of FIG. 1. [Figure 5] Figure 5 is an isometric view of the top surface of a nest for storing plunger stoppers, according to another aspect of the present disclosure. [Figure 6] Figure 6 is an isometric view of the bottom of the nest of FIG. 5. [Figure 7] Figure 7 is an isometric sectional view of the nest of FIG. 5. [Figure 8] Figure 8 is a side sectional view of the nest of FIG. 5. [Figure 9] Figure 9 is an isometric view of the top surface of a nest for storing plunger stoppers, according to another aspect of the present disclosure. [Figure 10] Figure 10 is an isometric view of the bottom of the nest of FIG. 9. [Figure 11] Figure 11 is an isometric sectional view of the nest of FIG. 9. [Figure 12] Figure 12 is a side sectional view of the stopper receptacle of the nest of FIG. 9. [Figure 13A] Figure 13A is a side sectional view of stacked stopper receptacles of respective nests, according to another aspect of the present disclosure. [Figure 13B] Figure 13B is an isometric view of a portion of the stopper receptacle and the nest, according to another aspect of the present disclosure. [Figure 13C] Figure 13C is an isometric view of the top surface of legs configured to surround the stopper receptacle, according to another aspect of the present disclosure.

MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

[0026] 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 substitutes will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art. Any and all such modifications, variations, equivalents, and substitutes are intended to fall within the spirit and scope of the invention.

[0027] Hereinafter, for explanatory purposes, “top,” “bottom,” “right,” “left,” “vertical,” “horizontal,” “top,” “bottom,” “horizontal,” “vertical,” and their derivatives shall be used in relation to the present invention as oriented in the drawings. However, it will be understood that the present invention may presuppose various alternative modifications unless explicitly specified otherwise. It should also be understood that the specific devices shown in the accompanying drawings and described below are merely exemplary embodiments of the present invention. Therefore, specific dimensions and other physical features relating to the aspects disclosed herein should not be considered limiting.

[0028] Referring to Figures 1 and 2, a nest 10 according to one aspect of the present disclosure is shown. Each nest 10 is configured to house a plurality of plunger stoppers (not shown) in a manner that provides desired positioning and alignment of both the plunger stoppers and the nest to enable precise handling by robotic components of an automated filling machine. Although not shown, the plurality of nests 10 can be removably held within tabs or other retaining configurations configured such that the nests 10 can be stacked vertically on top of each other, as will be described in more detail below. Typically, two to ten nests can be stacked on top of each other. For example, at least two nests are stacked on top of each other. Furthermore, it should be understood that the nests described herein are not limited to use with plunger stoppers and may be used with other elements and / or devices such as needle covers, tip caps, or any other medical components.

[0029] Specifically, each nest 10 includes a plurality of stopper receptacles 18 formed therein. The stopper receptacles 18 may be formed as substantially frustoconical “chimneys,” each capable of holding a plunger stopper for access and removal by components of the autonomous filling machine. Referring to Figure 4, each stopper receptacle 18 includes an upper opening 24 formed on the top surface 19 of the nest 10, and the “chimney” of the stopper receptacle 18 is formed by a substantially frustoconical wall portion 20 extending below the bottom surface 21 of the nest 10. The diameter and size of each stopper receptacle 18 may vary based on the type of stopper used during a particular filling operation. In one embodiment, the nest 10 may be configured to hold, for example, 160 stoppers of a size for use with a 1 mL syringe. However, it should be understood that the nest 10 may be configured to hold more or fewer stoppers, as well as stoppers of different sizes. For example, a nest according to another embodiment may be configured to hold 100 stoppers sized for use with 2.25 mL syringes. Thus, in some embodiments, the total number and position of the stopper receptacles 18 may vary compared to those shown in Figures 1 and 2. Furthermore, although not shown, one or more ribs may extend along at least a portion of the frustoconical wall portion 20 to provide further reinforcement of the stopper receptacles 18 against the bottom surface 21 of the nest 10.

[0030] Nest 10 includes a pair of long sides 12 and a pair of short sides 14. However, it should be understood that in alternative embodiments, the sides of nest 10 do not need to be of the same length and / or parallel, and instead may be, for example, equal, non-parallel, etc. The general dimensions (i.e., length, width, and height) of each nest 10 may be adapted based on the specific holding tab or automatic filling machine being used.

[0031] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, each long side 12 may include a finger opening 16 formed thereon, each finger opening 16 designed to allow simplified manual loading (and / or removal) of the nest 10 to (or from) a tab or other retaining arrangement, for example. In some embodiments, a flange 17 may at least partially surround each finger opening 16 and extend from the bottom surface 21 of the nest 10, thereby providing the user with a larger surface area for gripping the nest 10. Although two finger openings 16 are shown on opposing long sides 12 in Figures 1 and 2, it should be understood that the nest 10 may include more or fewer finger openings on either the long side 12 or the short side 14. Furthermore, in some embodiments, the finger openings 16 may be omitted entirely.

[0032] Referring to Figures 1-4, each stopper receptacle 18 of the nest 10 further includes a ring-shaped projection 22 substantially formed around the upper opening 24 and extending over the upper surface 19. As will be described in more detail below, the ring-shaped projections 22 are configured to assist in the relative alignment of the nests 10 when they are stacked on top of each other, while at the same time providing limited lateral movement (or "play") of the nests 10 relative to each other. The ring-shaped projections 22 are sized and configured to resist movement of the stacked nests 10 by minimal lateral force applied to the nests 10, but still allow for vertical separation of the nests 10 if necessary.

[0033] In the embodiments shown in Figures 1-4, the ring-shaped projections 22 are provided around each stopper receptacle 18 of the nest 10. However, it should be understood that in alternative embodiments, the ring-shaped projections 22 may be provided around fewer than all of the stopper receptacles 18. Furthermore, although the ring-shaped projections 22 are shown to extend a full 360° around the stopper receptacles 18, it should be understood that the projections do not need to extend a full 360° around the stopper receptacles 18. That is, in some embodiments, the projections 22 may be broken at one or more positions surrounding the upper opening 24 so that a protruding surface of less than 360° is provided around the stopper receptacles 18.

[0034] Referring to Figure 4, a cross-sectional view of a stopper receptacle 18 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. As described above, the ring-shaped projection 22 surrounds the upper opening 24 of the stopper receptacle 18, while the frustoconical wall portion 20 extends below the bottom surface 21. In one embodiment, the upper opening 24 may have a diameter K of, for example, 6 to 9 mm, and the diameter of the upper opening 24 (and the overall size of the stopper receptacle 18) depends on the size of the stopper housed therein. A lower opening 25 may be formed at the bottom of the stopper receptacle 18, and the lower opening 25 is joined by the bottom surface 28 of the stopper receptacle 18. In one embodiment, the lower opening 25 may have a diameter M, which is substantially equal to the diameter K of the upper opening 24 (for example, between 6 and 9 mm). Therefore, it should be understood that the upper opening 24 is configured to have substantially the same diameter as the lower opening 25, thereby allowing the stopper to be inserted into the stopper receptacle 18 through the upper opening 24, while also allowing the stopper to be removed from the stopper receptacle 18 through the lower opening 25. The stopper receptacle 18 may be internally formed such that its maximum inner diameter N is greater than both the diameter K of the upper opening 24 and the diameter M of the lower opening 25. In this way, a deformable stopper (not shown) can be forced through both the upper opening 24 and the lower opening 25, but can be expanded to be stored within the stopper receptacle 18.

[0035] The stopper receptacle 18 may also include a ledge portion 26 surrounding the upper opening 24. The ledge portion 26 is annular in shape and provides a substantially flat support surface on which the bottom surface 28 of a separate nest 10 stopper receptacle 18 can rest when one or more nests 10 are stacked perpendicular to one another. If a ring-shaped projection 22 is present, the ledge portion 26 may be positioned inside the ring-shaped projection 22. In one embodiment, the width of the ledge portion 26 may be, for example, about 1.5 mm, thereby providing a suitable support surface for the bottom surface 28 of an adjacent stopper receptacle 18, while also providing limited lateral movement (i.e., "play") of the adjacent stopper receptacle 18, which allows for selective separation of the stacked nests 10 from one another. It should be understood that the width of the ledge portion 26 may vary based on the size of the stopper receptacle 18, the number of stopper receptacles 18, etc. Furthermore, the stopper receptacle 18 may include a chamfered edge 27 between the ledge portion 26 and the frustoconical wall portion 20. This chamfered edge 27 may have an outer diameter J larger than the diameter K of the upper opening 24, thereby facilitating the insertion of a stopper (not shown) into the stopper receptacle 18.

[0036] Referring further to Figure 4, the ring-shaped projection 22 is configured to extend over the top surface 19 of the nest 10, substantially preventing easy movement of adjacently stacked nests when minimal lateral force is applied to the vertical stack of nests. For example, in one embodiment, the ring-shaped projection 22 may extend from the top 23 to the ledge portion 26 to a depth D of about 1.5 mm, and may extend from the top 23 of the nest 10 to the top surface 19 to a height d of about 1.0 mm. In this way, the depth / height of the ring-shaped projection 22 is sufficient to prevent easy detachment of adjacently stacked nests, while simultaneously absorbing both natural deformation and vertical movement of the nests due to, for example, material properties, the overall length and width of the nests, and vibrations during transport. Furthermore, in some embodiments, the top 23 of the ring-shaped projection may be rounded or chamfered to allow for smooth insertion of adjacent stopper receptacles 18 when multiple nests are stacked on top of each other.

[0037] Each nest 10 can be formed from any suitable material and by any suitable method. For example, nest 10 can be formed from, for example, plastic, polymer (e.g., polypropylene), metal, etc., and can be formed by, for example, molding, stamping, extrusion, welding, etc. Furthermore, nest 10 can be formed as a single part or as multiple parts joined together. If it is formed from multiple parts, the materials forming each part may be the same or different. Next, referring to Figures 5-8, a nest 30 according to another aspect of the present disclosure is shown. Similar to the nest 10 described with respect to Figures 1-4, the nest 30 is configured to house a plurality of plunger stoppers (not shown) in such a manner that it provides desired positioning and alignment of both the plunger stoppers and the nest(s) to enable precise handling by the robotic components of the automatic filling machine. Each nest 30 is configured to be stackable vertically on another nest 30, as will be described in more detail below.

[0038] The nest 30 includes several stopper receptacles 36, 37 formed within it. Unlike the stopper receptacle 18 described above in Figures 1 to 4, which are of uniform size, the stopper receptacles 36, 37 are of different sizes. Specifically, each stopper receptacle 36 includes a “chimney” formed by a frustoconical wall portion 40 that extends a first distance below the bottom surface 39 of the nest 30. On the other hand, the stopper receptacle 37 includes a frustoconical wall portion 41 that extends a second distance below the bottom surface 39 of the nest 30, with the second distance being slightly longer than the first. As will be explained below, this variation in the size of the stopper receptacles 37 helps to ensure consistent alignment and retention of the nest 30 when stacked perpendicular to one another.

[0039] The diameter and size of each stopper receptacle 36, 37 may vary based on the type of stopper used during a particular filling operation. However, it should be understood that the stopper receptacles 36, 37 are not intended to hold stoppers of different sizes, although the lengths of the frustoconical wall portions 40, 41 relative to the base surface 39 may vary. In one embodiment, the nest 30 may be configured to hold, for example, 100 stoppers of a size suitable for use with 1-3 mL syringes. However, it should be understood that the nest 30 may be configured to hold more or fewer stoppers, as well as stoppers of different sizes. Therefore, in some embodiments, the total number and position of the stopper receptacles 36, 37 may also vary compared to those shown in Figures 5-8. Furthermore, although not shown, one or more ribs may extend along at least a portion of the frustoconical wall portions 40, 41 to provide further reinforcement of the stopper receptacles 36, 37 relative to the base surface 39 of the nest 30. The number of ribs can be determined based on the desired rigidity of the stopper receptacles 36 and 37.

[0040] Nest 30 may include a pair of long sides 32 and a pair of short sides 33. However, it should be understood that in alternative embodiments, the sides of nest 10 do not need to be of different lengths and / or parallel, but instead may be equal, non-parallel, etc. The general dimensions (i.e., length, width, and height) of each nest 10 may be adapted based on the specific automatic filling machine being used.

[0041] As shown in Figures 5 and 6, each long side 32 may include a finger opening 34 formed thereon, each finger opening 34 being designed to allow simplified manual loading (and / or removal) of the nest 30 to (or from) a tab or other retaining arrangement, for example. In some embodiments, the flange 35 may at least partially surround each finger opening 34 and extend from the bottom surface 39 of the nest 30, thereby providing the user with a larger surface area for gripping the nest 30. While the two finger openings 34 are shown on the opposing long sides 32 in Figures 5 and 6, it should be understood that the nest 30 may have more or fewer finger openings on either the long side 32 or the short side 33. Furthermore, in some embodiments, the finger opening 34 may be omitted entirely.

[0042] Furthermore, referring to Figures 5-8, each stopper receptacle 37 of the nest 30 further includes a ring-shaped projection 38 formed substantially around the upper opening and extending onto the upper surface 31 of the nest 30. Similar to the ring-shaped projections 22 described with respect to Figures 1-4, the ring-shaped projections 38 are configured to assist in the relative alignment of the nests 30 when they (the nests 30) are stacked on top of each other, while further providing limited lateral movement (or "play") of the nests 30 relative to each other. However, unlike the embodiments shown in Figures 1-4, the ring-shaped projections 38 are provided only around the stopper receptacle 37 and not around the stopper receptacle 36. Thus, only a selected subset of the stopper receptacles are equipped with the ring-shaped projections 38, which may simplify the manufacture of the nests 30 while providing the desired alignment of the stacked nests. In the embodiment shown in Figure 5, a total of 12 dispersed ring-shaped protrusions 38 (and thus 12 stopper receptacles 37) are shown. However, it should be understood that more or fewer ring-shaped protrusions 38 and / or stopper receptacles 37 may be provided at various locations. The number and location of the ring-shaped protrusions 38 may be adapted and / or optimized based, for example, on possible deformation of the nest 30 due to molding. For example, as shown in Figure 5, the ring-shaped protrusions 38 are placed in the central portion, the middle portion, and each corner of the nest 30. In this way, spaced-out ring-shaped protrusions 38 may be arranged to provide the desired alignment of the nest even if deformation occurs during manufacturing, transportation, etc.

[0043] Furthermore, although the ring-shaped projection 38 is shown to extend a full 360° around the stopper receptacle 37, it should be understood that the projection does not need to extend a full 360° around the stopper receptacle 37. That is, in some embodiments, the projection 38 may be broken at one or more positions surrounding the upper opening so that a protruding surface of less than a full 360° around the stopper receptacle 37 is provided.

[0044] Referring to Figure 8, a cross-sectional view of the nest 30 is shown. Each stopper receptacle 37 further includes a ledge portion 44. The annular ledge portion 44 is located inside a ring-shaped projection 38 and provides a substantially flat support surface that can support the bottom surface 43 of the stopper receptacle 37 of a separate nest 30 when one or more nests 30 are stacked perpendicular to each other. In one embodiment, the width of the ledge portion 44 may be, for example, about 1.5 mm, thereby providing a suitable support surface for the bottom surface 43 of an adjacent stopper receptacle 37, while also providing limited lateral movement (i.e., "play") of the adjacent stopper receptacle 37, which allows for selective separation of the stacked nests 30 from one another. It should be understood that the width of the ledge portion 44 may vary based on the size of the stopper receptacle 37, the number of stopper receptacles 37, etc.

[0045] The ring-shaped projection 38 is configured to extend over the top surface 31 of the nest 30, substantially preventing easy movement of adjacently stacked nests when minimal lateral force is applied to the vertical stack of nests. For example, in one embodiment, the ring-shaped projection 38 may extend over the top surface 31 by a height A of approximately 1.5 to 2.0 mm (preferably 1.5 to 1.6 mm). In this way, the depth / height of the ring-shaped projection 38 is sufficient to prevent easy detachment of adjacently stacked nests, while simultaneously absorbing both natural deformation and vertical movement of the nests due to, for example, material properties, the overall length and width of the nests. Furthermore, in some embodiments, the ring-shaped projection 38 may be rounded or chamfered to allow for smooth insertion of adjacent stopper receptacles 37 when multiple nests are stacked on top of each other.

[0046] Referring further to Figure 8, as described above, the length of the frustoconical wall portion 41 extending below the base surface 39 of the nest 30 is slightly longer than the length of the frustoconical wall portion 40 extending below the base surface 39. For example, the distance B from the base surface 42 of the frustoconical wall portion 40 to the base surface 43 of the frustoconical wall portion 41 may be between 0.5 and 1 mm. This difference in length allows the stopper receptacles 37 of adjacently stacked nests 30 to align more easily with the ring-shaped projections 38, thereby providing consistent alignment between vertically stacked nests 30 via only a subset of the total number of stopper receptacles.

[0047] Each nest 30 can be formed from any suitable material and by any suitable method. For example, a nest 30 can be formed from, for example, plastic, polymer (e.g., polypropylene), metal, etc., and can be formed by, for example, molding, stamping, extrusion, welding, etc. Furthermore, a nest 30 can be formed as a single part or as multiple parts joined together. If it is formed from multiple parts, the materials forming each part may be the same or different.

[0048] Furthermore, while Figures 5-8 show a nest 30 having a plurality of spaced-apart ring-shaped protrusions 38, it should be understood that other embodiments of this disclosure may completely omit the ring-shaped protrusions. That is, nests according to other embodiments may include stopper receptacles 36, 37 of different sizes, and the nest may rely on other aspects or features (e.g., ledge portions 44, chamfered portions, etc.) to provide the desired alignment of vertically stacked nests (and prevent unintended movement).

[0049] Next, with reference to Figures 9-12, a nest 50 according to another aspect of the present disclosure is shown. Similar to the nests described with respect to Figures 1-8 above, the nest 50 is configured to house a plurality of plunger stoppers (not shown) in such a manner that it provides desired positioning and alignment of both the plunger stoppers and the nest(s) to enable precise handling by the robotic components of the automatic filling machine. Each nest 50 is configured to be stackable vertically on another nest 50, as will be described in more detail below.

[0050] Each nest 50 includes a plurality of stopper receptacles 56 formed therein. The stopper receptacles 56 may be formed as substantially frustoconical “chimneys,” each capable of holding a plunger stopper for access and removal by components of the autonomous filling machine. Each stopper receptacle 56 includes an upper opening formed on the top surface 51 of the nest 50, and the “chimney” of the stopper receptacle 56 is formed by a frustoconical wall portion 58 extending below the bottom surface 59 of the nest 50. The diameter and size of each stopper receptacle 56 may vary based on the type of stopper used during a particular filling operation.

[0051] Nest 50 includes a pair of long sides 52 and a pair of short sides 53. However, it should be understood that in alternative embodiments, the sides of nest 50 do not need to be of different lengths and / or parallel, but instead may be equal, non-parallel, etc. The general dimensions (i.e., length, width, and height) of each nest 50 may be adapted based on the specific automatic filling machine being used.

[0052] As shown in Figures 9 and 10, each long side 52 may include a finger opening 54 formed thereon, each finger opening 54 designed to allow simplified manual loading (and / or removal) of the nest 50 to (or from) a tab or other retaining arrangement, for example. In some embodiments, a flange 55 may at least partially surround each finger opening 54 and extend from the bottom surface 59 of the nest 50, thereby providing the user with a larger surface area for gripping the nest 50. Although two finger openings 54 are shown on opposing long sides 52 in Figures 9 and 10, it should be understood that the nest 50 may include more or fewer finger openings on either the long side 52 or the short side 53. Furthermore, in some embodiments, the finger openings 54 may be omitted entirely.

[0053] Unlike the use of ring-shaped protrusions to provide alignment of stacked nests, the nest 50 instead relies on a plane 57 provided around the entrance of each stopper receptacle 56. Referring particularly to Figure 12, a cross-sectional view of a stopper receptacle 56 according to an aspect of this disclosure is shown. The plane 57 is formed as a substantially chamfered edge surface below the top surface 51 of the nest 50, adjacent to the upper opening of the stopper receptacle 56. The plane 57 may have a depth E and a width F. In one example, the depth E is approximately 0.5 mm and the width F is approximately 0.5 mm. However, it should be understood that the plane 57 is not limited to these dimensions, and the depth E and width F may be larger or smaller and do not necessarily have to be equal to each other.

[0054] The plane 57 is configured to provide a recessed support surface on which the bottom surface 61 of a stopper receptacle 56 of a separate nest 50 can rest when one or more nests 50 are stacked perpendicular to each other. The plane 57 is sized and configured to absorb both natural deformation and vertical movement of the nests, for example, due to material properties, overall length and width of the nests, while substantially preventing adjacent stacked nests from easily falling out when minimal lateral force is applied to the vertical stacking of the nests.

[0055] Each nest 50 can be formed from any suitable material and by any suitable method. For example, a nest 50 can be formed from, for example, plastic, polymer (e.g., polypropylene), metal, etc., and can be formed by, for example, molding, stamping, extrusion, welding, etc. Furthermore, a nest 50 can be formed as a single part or as multiple parts joined together. If it is formed from multiple parts, the materials forming each part may be the same or different.

[0056] Referring here to Figures 13A-13B, stopper receptacles 70 for use with nests according to another aspect of the present disclosure are shown. Although not shown, it should be understood that multiple stopper receptacles 70 are present in each nest, similar to those shown with respect to Figures 1-12.

[0057] Figure 13A shows a pair of stopper receptacles 70 stacked on top of each other, as in the case where two nests are stacked perpendicular to each other. Each stopper receptacle 70 includes a substantially frustoconical sidewall portion 72 extending downward from the nest surface 73, and each stopper receptacle 70 has an opening 76 for receiving, for example, a plunger stopper (not shown). As shown in Figures 13A and 13B, ring-shaped projections 77 extend upward from the nest surface 73 and surround the openings 76, and each ring-shaped projection has a top surface 78.

[0058] Furthermore, as shown in Figures 13A and 13C, a leg assembly 75 is provided, which is configured around a frustoconical sidewall portion 72 of each stopper receptacle 70. In the shown embodiment, the leg assembly 75 includes three leg members 80, as well as a connecting ring 83 coupled to each of the leg members 80. However, it should be understood that the leg assembly 75 may include more or fewer leg members 80. The leg members 80 are formed such that a bottom well portion 82 is formed below the connecting ring 83, providing an open space below the connecting ring 83. Furthermore, the leg assembly 75 may be formed integrally with the stopper receptacle 70 (e.g., by molding), or the leg assembly 75 may be formed as one or more separate elements coupled to the stopper receptacle 70 by any suitable method.

[0059] As can be seen in Figure 13A, when the nests (and therefore the stopper receptacles 70) are stacked perpendicular to one another, the bottom well portion 82 of the leg assembly 75 of the upper stopper receptacle 70 is dimensioned and configured to substantially match the proportion of the ring-shaped projection 77. Thus, unlike the embodiments described with respect to Figures 1-12 in which the stopper receptacle of the upper nest is supported within the stopper receptacle of the lower nest, the embodiments in Figures 13A-13B are configured such that the leg member 80 of the upper nest is positioned around the ring-shaped projection 77 of the lower nest. In some embodiments, the upper surface 78 of the ring-shaped projection 77 may contact the bottom surface of the connecting ring 83. In this way, the inner diameter of the lower part of the leg assembly 75 substantially matches the outer diameter of the ring-shaped projection 77, allowing each stopper receptacle 70 to be stacked securely relative to one another so that the stacked nests are consistently aligned and not dislodged by minimal lateral force.

[0060] While several embodiments of nesting and nesting arrangements are shown in the accompanying figures and described in detail herein, other embodiments will be apparent and easily constructed to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. For example, it should be understood that this disclosure intends, to the extent possible, to combine one or more features of any embodiment with one or more features of any other embodiment. Accordingly, the foregoing description is intended to be illustrative rather than restrictive.

Claims

1. A nest (10, 30) for storing medical device components, Top surface (19, 31) and Bottom surface (21, 39) and A plurality of receptacles (18, 36, 37) for housing a plurality of medical device components, wherein each of the plurality of receptacles (18, 36, 37) includes a side wall portion extending downward from the bottom surface (21, 39) of the nest (10, 30), A plurality of ring-shaped projections (22, 38) extending upward from the upper surface (19, 31) of the nest (10, 30), wherein the plurality of ring-shaped projections (22, 38) surround at least some of the plurality of receptacles (18, 36, 37), Equipped with, Each of the plurality of ring-shaped protrusions (22, 38) is configured to be sized to receive one corresponding bottom of the plurality of receptacles (18, 37) when the plurality of nests (10, 30) are stacked perpendicular to one another, and the side wall portion (41) of the first set of the plurality of receptacles (37) extends further downward from the bottom surface (39) of the nest (30) than the side wall portion (40) of the second set of the plurality of receptacles (36).

2. The nest (10) according to claim 1, wherein the ring-shaped projection (22) surrounds each of the plurality of receptacles (18).

3. The nest (10) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the ring-shaped projection (38) surrounds fewer than all of the plurality of receptacles (36, 37).

4. The nest (10, 30) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the plurality of receptacles (18, 36, 37) are substantially frustoconical in shape.

5. The nest (10, 30) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, further comprising ledge portions (26, 44) surrounding the respective upper openings (24) of the receptacles (18, 37).

6. The nest (10, 30) according to claim 5, wherein the ledge portions (26, 44) are sized to support one bottom surface (28, 43) of each of the plurality of receptacles (18, 37).

7. The nest (10, 30) according to claim 5 or 6, wherein the width of each ledge portion (26, 44) is approximately 1.5 mm.

8. The nest (10, 30) according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the height of each of the plurality of ring-shaped protrusions (22, 38) extending over the upper surface (19, 31) of the nest (10, 30) is 1.0 to 2.0 mm.

9. The nest (10, 30) according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the upper surface (23) of each of the ring-shaped protrusions (22, 38) is rounded or chamfered.

10. The nest (10, 30) according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein each of the plurality of receptacles (37) has a side wall portion (41) that extends further downward from the bottom surface (39) of the nest (30) than the side wall portion (40) of the second set of the plurality of receptacles (36), and each of the plurality of receptacles (37) is surrounded by one of the plurality of ring-shaped projections (38).

11. The nest (10, 30) according to any one of claims 1 to 10, further comprising at least one finger opening (16, 34) formed therein.

12. The nest (10, 30) according to claim 11, further comprising flanges (17, 35) that extend at least partially around each finger opening (16, 34) and extend from the bottom surface (21, 39) of the nest (10, 30).

13. The nest (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein the plurality of receptacles (18, 36, 37) comprises 100 to 160 receptacles (18, 36, 37).

14. The nest (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 13, wherein the nest (10) is made of polypropylene.

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