TRAY FOR POSITIONING A MEDICAL VIAL.

Abstract

A tray is disclosed for positioning, in a fixed positional relationship, a medical vial 7 together with a vial adapter 4. A tray member 10 includes a vial housing cavity 11 and a vial adapter housing cavity 12, each comprising retaining members 19, 37a, 37b, 35a, 35b, 36a, 36b configured to position the vial adapter 4 and the vial 7 separated from each other and axially aligned in an intermediate position. Retaining members 19, 37a, 37b, 35a, 35b, 36a, 36b are further configured to guide a relative axial movement of vial 7 and vial adapter 4 from the intermediate position to a transfer position, maintaining the axial alignment of vial 7 with vial adapter 4. In the transfer position, vial adapter 4 is locked relative to vial 7 and a piercing mandrel 57 pierces a vial plug 76 for liquid transfer.

Description

TRAY FOR POSITIONING A MEDICAL VIAL TOGETHER WITH A VIAL ADAPTER IN A FIXED POSITIONAL RELATIONSHIP TO EACH OTHER, AND PACKAGING UNIT COMPRISING THE SAME Field of invention The present invention relates generally to drug delivery devices and containers, and more specifically to a tray for positioning a vial for medical or pharmaceutical applications, together with a vial adapter, in a fixed positional relationship to each other to allow the adapter to be attached to the vial for easy fluid transfer. The present invention also relates to a packaging unit comprising said tray, which is used to package a vial and a vial adapter, preferably under sterile conditions. Background of the invention Sterile trays and packaging units for medical devices and storage containers, such as glass or plastic vials, are well known in the prior art. US patents 4,730,726, 5,108,530, 5,165,539, 5,353,930, and 5,449,071 disclose examples of such trays and methods for manufacturing them. These trays may be made of a plastic material, for example, by vacuum thermoforming or pressure thermoforming of a thin sheet of plastic, or by plastic injection molding. Such trays may also include locking features, either to lock the tray lids together or to lock a medical device or storage container within a cavity of the tray, thus providing a fixed position for the medical device or storage container during storage in the tray. Various transfer devices and assemblies for transferring a fluid to and / or from a vial are known in the prior art. Such transfer devices or assemblies generally include locking members for securing the device or assembly to the front end of a vial in the transfer position, and a piercing mandrel or similar stopper piercing member for piercing or boring into an elastomeric stopper that seals the vial opening in the transfer position, thus permitting the transfer of a fluid to and / or from the vial. For medical applications, it is necessary that at least the transfer devices or assemblies be packaged under sterile conditions, while the upper surface of the vial stopper could be disinfected prior to actual use, e.g., by means of a swab.However, ensuring sterile conditions makes handling these devices and transfer sets more difficult. US patent 8,752,598 B2 discloses an example of a fluid drug transfer assembly that includes a drug vial adapter having a drug vial adapter skirt, a vertical drug vial adapter mouth, and a drug vial adapter sleeve, which hangs downward in front of and is in fluid communication with the vertical drug vial adapter mouth. To enable the transfer of a liquid drug, the drug vial adapter is slidably arranged over the drug vial stopper piercing member such that, when the liquid drug transfer assembly is mounted on the drug vial, the drug vial stopper piercing member pierces the drug vial stopper to form a through-hole, and the drug vial adapter sleeve is aligned with the through-hole.The vial adapter is packaged under sterile conditions in a special blister pack with a protective foil. Before removing the foil from the bottom of the blister pack and positioning the vial adapter onto the front end of a vial, the top surface of the vial stopper must be disinfected. Figure 2 of document US 10,278,897 B2 reveals a similar blister pack for a fluid drug transfer set. In medical applications, it is generally desirable to prevent the patient from being exposed to the fluid that is withdrawn from or injected into the patient, and it is desirable to isolate nursing and medical staff from exposure to fluid that may contain blood or waste products from the patient. To allow efficient coupling of a syringe to a vial without using a needle, US patent 2017 / 0143586 A1 discloses a similar vial adapter comprising an external thread for a Luer-type locking thread of a syringe, such that the vial adapter... Often, the male component of the syringe used to inject or withdraw fluid retains some of the fluid at its tip, posing a risk of fluid exposure to nursing and medical personnel. Cleaning this fluid before disconnecting the syringe is highly desirable. To enable safe and efficient fluid cleaning in such applications, US patent 6,651,956 B2 discloses a valve that includes a stem with a groove at one end. The valve stem is located within a valve body and is deformable. When the tip of a syringe is engaged with the groove in the stem, the stem moves within the valve body, an upper portion of the stem folds inward, and the groove seals against the instrument, allowing fluid to flow through the stem to or from the instrument.When the syringe tip is subsequently removed, the surface of the valve stem will not be contaminated with the fluid. The integration of said valve stem into a vial adapter of the type mentioned above is also known in the prior art. Brief description of the invention It is an object of the present invention to provide safe and reliable solutions to enable the efficient coupling of a medical device, such as a syringe, with a medical vial for use in medical or pharmaceutical applications. According to the present invention, a tray is provided for positioning a vial for medical or pharmaceutical applications together with a vial adapter in a fixed positional relationship to each other, said vial adapter comprising a piercing mandrel and being configured to lock into a front end of the vial in a transfer position, wherein the piercing mandrel pierces a vial stopper for the transfer of a fluid to the outside and / or inside of the vial, said tray comprising: a tray member having a vial cavity for accommodating at least a portion of the vial, and a vial adapter cavity for accommodating at least a portion of the vial adapter, wherein the vial adapter cavity and the vial cavity comprise retaining members configured to position the vial adapter and the vial in an intermediate position,wherein the vial adapter is in a fixed position and in a predetermined orientation while the vial is separated from the vial adapter and in axial alignment with the vial adapter, wherein the retaining members are further configured to guide a relative movement of the vial and the vial adapter from the intermediate position to the transfer position and to maintain the axial alignment of the vial and the vial adapter with each other. Therefore, the tray can be used as a template, gauge, or measuring tool to define the positioning relationship between the vial adapter and the vial in the intermediate position, and to maintain their axial alignment during transfer from the intermediate to the transfer position. The transition from the intermediate to the transfer position can be achieved by a simple axial displacement of the vial and / or the vial adapter—that is, a displacement in the axial direction only. In the transfer position, the vial adapter is locked at the front end of the vial, and the piercing mandrel of the vial adapter pierces the vial stopper to allow liquid transfer—that is, to allow the transfer of liquid to the outside and / or inside of the vial, e.g., to administer a liquid solution stored in the vial. The intermediate position may be identical to a storage position where the vial and vial adapter are stored in the tray for an extended period. However, according to other embodiments, the storage position differs from the intermediate position. It is also envisaged that the tray is not used for long-term storage of the vial and / or vial adapter, but rather only to position the vial and vial adapter relative to each other shortly before axially displacing the vial and / or vial adapter from the intermediate position to the transfer position. Specifically, the expression "the vial is separated from the vial adapter" means that the piercing mandrel is not yet in contact with the vial stopper and that, preferably, in the intermediate position, there is some space between the vial adapter and the vial. In the intermediate position, the vial and vial adapter are axially aligned with each other, meaning that the axial centerlines of the vial and the vial adapter, which are generally cylindrical, roughly coincide. Of course, in the intermediate position, the axial alignment between the vial and the vial adapter may have slight deviations and not be perfect. It is more important that the relative movement between the vial and the vial adapter is guided so that the piercing mandrel begins to pierce the vial plug at its central portion and that the piercing mandrel remains centered during the subsequent relative movement from the intermediate position to the transfer position.Therefore, the main purpose of the tray is to allow a sufficient centering effect for the piercing mandrel to pierce or bore the vial stopper in a central position, and sufficient for the vial adapter to be properly locked onto the front end of the vial. For the transition from the intermediate position to the transfer position, it is preferred that only one of the vial and the vial adapter moves relative to the other. Most preferably, the vial adapter remains stationary due to the tray, and the vial moves axially toward the vial adapter until the adapter is finally locked at the front end of the vial. However, it is also possible for the vial to remain stationary due to the tray while the vial adapter moves axially toward the vial. Any mixed axial displacement between the aforementioned extremes can also be achieved by means of the tray according to the present invention. Of course, maintaining axial alignment of the vial and vial adapter with each other during the step from the intermediate position to the transfer position will allow some misalignment between the vial and the vial adapter, e.g. a small lateral displacement, provided that the tray allows a sufficient centering effect for the piercing mandrel to pierce or bore the vial stopper in a central position and for the vial adapter to be properly locked into the front end of the vial. The cavities in the tray member are preferably deep enough so that neither the vial adapter nor the vial protrudes beyond a top surface of the tray member when the vial adapter and vial are housed within the vial adapter cavity and vial cavity, respectively, so that, for example, a packaging film can be attached to the top surface of the tray member to provide a packaging unit. Both cavities are generally cylindrical in shape, corresponding to the outer profile of the vial adapter and vial, respectively. Preferably, the vial adapter cavity is large enough to fully accommodate the vial adapter in the intermediate position, while a portion of the vial may extend beyond a front end of the vial cavity in the intermediate position, for example.exposed in an intermediate cavity between the vial adapter cavity and the vial cavity to allow access to the vial body with a user's fingers or a robot's grippers. Preferably, the tray member has a flat top surface, in which the vial cavity and the vial adapter cavity are open to the flat top surface of the tray member. This allows both cavities to be easily sealed, e.g., by adhesively attaching a packaging film to the flat top surface of the tray member. The flat top surface of the tray member preferably surrounds both cavities, i.e., the vial cavity and the vial adapter cavity, so that both cavities can be sterilely sealed from the environment, if required, and so that the tray can be used for long-term storage of the vial and vial adapter. According to the present invention, each of the retaining members may be formed simply by a lower portion of the vial cavity and the vial adapter cavity itself. The lower portions of the cavities thus serve to establish axial alignment between the vial and the vial adapter in the intermediate position and to maintain this axial alignment during the transition from the intermediate position to the transfer position. During the transition from the intermediate position to the transfer position, the lower portions of the cavities are also used to guide the relative movement of the vial and the vial adapter. Preferably, the lower portions of the cavities are curved to correspond to the outer profile of the vial and the vial adapter, respectively. In the embodiment of claim 3, upon contact with the lateral surfaces of the vial adapter and the vial, respectively, the protrusions can control and maintain a constant level of the vial and vial adapter, respectively, within the tray member during passage from the intermediate position to the transfer position. The retaining members, in particular the protrusions, can positively retain the vial and vial adapter in the vial cavity and vial adapter cavity, respectively. Such positive retention can be sufficient to also fix the axial positions of the vial and vial adapter, respectively, in the intermediate position. When the vial and / or vial adapter are moved axially from the intermediate position to the transfer position, some friction may occur between the retaining members and the vial / vial adapter.However, this friction is low enough to allow sliding movement of the vial / vial adapter from the intermediate position to the transfer position without exerting high axial forces. In the embodiment according to claim 4, the protrusions can thus serve to delimit the level of the vial and the vial adapter, respectively, in a direction perpendicular to their axial direction, to prevent significant lateral displacement of the vial and the vial adapter, respectively, in the direction perpendicular to their axial direction during the transition from the intermediate position to the transfer position, thereby maintaining axial alignment as described above. In the embodiment according to claim 5, the vial and vial adapter can be housed in cylindrical volumes formed between the bottom of the respective cavity and the associated protrusion. Preferably, the flat, vertical side walls are slightly flexible so that the protrusions can move slightly outward when the vial and vial adapter are inserted from above into the respective cavity. And preferably, the flat, vertical side walls flex back to their initial position once the vial and vial adapter have been inserted from above into the respective cavity, to ensure the level of the vial and vial adapter, respectively. In the embodiment according to claim 6, at least one pair of protrusions can be used to guide the relative movement of the vial and the vial adapter and maintain the centering effect even in the final stage of the step from the intermediate position to the transfer position. In the embodiment according to claim 7, the guide protrusions may be different from the retaining members mentioned above, so that the centering effect and the guiding effect can be achieved by means of different parts of the tray member. In the embodiment according to claim 8, the lower parts of the cavities can be used directly as retaining members, as described above. In the embodiment of claim 9, the axial position of the vial can be precisely and easily defined to ensure that the vial and vial adapter are separated from each other in the intermediate position. These axial position limiting members can be formed as protrusions on the bottom and / or side walls of the vial cavity and / or the vial adapter cavity. Preferably, the axial position limiting members are integrally formed with the bottom and / or side walls of the vial cavity and / or the vial adapter cavity. In the embodiment according to claim 10, when the vial slides over the axial position limiting members during the step from the intermediate position to the transfer position, the axial position limiting members will not cause a significant displacement of the vial in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction of the vial. In the embodiments according to claims 11 and 12, the vial adapter is held in a fixed axial position within the vial adapter cavity, and the transfer is established by a simple axial displacement of the vial into the vial adapter, wherein the axial alignment is maintained by means of the aforementioned retaining members. In the embodiment according to claim 13, the intermediate cavity can thus allow a certain minimum axial distance between the vial and the vial adapter in the intermediate position, so that the outer surface of the vial stopper can be disinfected by means of a sterilizing swab before passing from the intermediate position to the transfer position. In the embodiment according to claim 23, when the tray member insert is inserted into the positioning cavity of the tray member, the vial adapter is positioned in the intermediate position. The tray member insert may further comprise locking means for locking the tray member insert into the tray member, for positioning the tray member insert in the positioning cavity of the tray member. According to a further aspect of the present invention, a packaging unit is provided for packaging a vial for medical or pharmaceutical applications together with a vial adapter. This unit comprises a tray with a tray member as described above, and a packaging film, wherein the vial adapter is housed in the vial adapter cavity, the vial is at least partially housed in the vial cavity so as to be separated from the vial adapter and in axial alignment with the vial adapter, and the tray member is sealed by the packaging film. The packaging unit can be used to sterilely package the vial and the vial adapter. General description of the drawings The invention is described below by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, from which other features, advantages, and problems to be solved will be derived. In the drawings: Figures 1a and 1b show an example of a vial adapter for use in a tray according to the present invention, in a schematic side view and a cross-sectional view, respectively; Figure 1c shows another example of a vial adapter for use in a tray according to the present invention in a schematic side view; Figures 2a to 2d show a tray according to a first embodiment of the present invention in a top perspective view, a bottom perspective view, a plan view, and a side view; Figure 3a shows a tray according to a first embodiment of the present invention in a top perspective view, with a vial adapter housed in a vial adapter cavity of the tray and a vial housed in a vial cavity of the tray, in a storage position in which both coincide with the intermediate position; Figure 3b shows the tray of Figure 1.3a in a top perspective view, with the vial displaced axially towards the vial adapter, slightly. before the piercing mandrel of the vial adapter pierces the vial stopper; Fig. 3c shows the tray of Fig. 3a in a top perspective view, with the vial displaced from the position of Fig. 3b further forward in the axial direction to a transfer position, in which the piercing mandrel of the vial adapter pierces the vial stopper for fluid transfer; Fig. 3d shows the tray of Fig. 3a in a top perspective view, the vial and vial adapter forming the assembly being locked together in the transfer position, and outside the cavities of the tray; Fig. 4a shows in schematic cross-section a tray according to the present invention together with a vial adapter and a vial, housed in cavities of the tray in the storage position of Fig. 3a, which coincides with an intermediate position; Fig. 4b shows in schematic cross-section the tray of Fig.4a together with the vial adapter and the vial housed in cavities of the tray in the position of Fig. 3b; Fig. 4c shows in schematic cross-section the tray of Fig. 4a together with the vial adapter and the vial housed in cavities of the tray in the transfer position of Fig. 3c; Fig. 5a shows in an enlarged plan view the vial adapter of Fig. 1a housed in a vial adapter cavity of a tray according to the present invention; Fig. 5b is a top perspective view of the vial adapter of Fig. 1a, housed in a vial adapter cavity of a tray according to the present invention; Fig. 5c shows a schematic cross-section of the tray along line AA of Fig. 4c; Fig. 5d shows a schematic cross-section of the tray along line AA of Fig. 4c, but viewed in the opposite direction to Fig. 5c; Fig.5e is a partially side schematic view showing a vial and a. ηοο / ηη / ζζηζ / Ε / γίΛΐ vial adapter housed in the cavities of a tray according to the present invention, in the intermediate position of Fig. 3a; Figs. 6a-6c show a tray according to a second embodiment of the present invention in a top perspective view, a bottom view, and a side view; Fig. 7a shows a sterile packaging unit with a tray according to a third embodiment of the present invention, in a position used for long-term storage of the vial and vial adapter; Fig. 7b shows the packaging unit of Fig. 7a after removal of a first packaging film; Fig. 7c shows the vial adapter cavity of the tray of Fig. 7a, which is sterilely sealed by a second packaging film; Fig. 7d shows the packaging unit of Fig. 7a after removal of the first and second packaging films, with the vial adapter and vial placed in the intermediate position; Fig.Figure 8a shows a sterile packaging unit with a tray according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention, in a position used for long-term storage of the vial and vial adapter; Figure 8b shows the packaging unit of Figure 8a after removing a first packaging film; Figure 8c shows the packaging unit of Figure 8a after removing a second packaging film; Figure 8d shows the packaging unit of Figure 8a in a position in which the vial adapter storage cavity is located vertically above the vial adapter cavity, and before moving the vial adapter from the vial adapter storage cavity to the vial adapter cavity; Figure 8e shows the packaging unit of Figure 8a.8a in a position in which the vial adapter storage cavity is located vertically above the vial adapter cavity, and after moving the vial adapter from the storage cavity. ηοο / ηη / ζζηζ / E / γίΛΐ vial adapter to the vial adapter cavity, with the vial adapter located in the intermediate position; Fig. 8f shows the packaging unit of Fig. 8a in a position that allows the vial to be moved towards the vial adapter from the intermediate position to the transfer position; Fig. 9 shows a modification of the packaging unit of Fig. 8a; Fig. 10a shows a tray member insert that includes a vial adapter storage cavity, for long-term storage of a vial adapter under sterile conditions; and Fig. 10b is an exploded top perspective view of a packaging unit including a tray according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention, and includes the tray member insert of Fig. 10a. In the drawings, the same reference numbers designate identical or substantially equivalent elements or groups of elements. Detailed description of preferred embodiments Figures 1a and 1b show an example of a vial adapter for use in a tray according to the present invention, in a schematic side view and a cross-sectional view, respectively. The vial adapter 4 has a generally stepped outer contour consisting of a first cylindrical portion 48, a second cylindrical portion 50, and a third cylindrical portion 60. A first step 51 is formed between the two cylindrical portions 48 and 50, and a second step 54 is formed between the cylindrical portions 50 and 60. The outer diameters of the cylindrical portions 48, 50, and 60 are different and increase from the front end 44 to the bottom end 64. The vial adapter 4 basically consists of a valve body 40 and a coupling body 42. The valve body 40 includes a valve of the type disclosed in US patent 6,651,956 B2, the full contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. The valve stem 46 is housed in the cavities of the first and second cylindrical portions 48, 50 and abuts against the tapered portion 49 and the bottom of the cavity formed by the cylindrical wall 53 of the connecting ring 41, which connects the valve body 40 to the locking body 60, e.g., by bonding or ultrasonic welding. A groove is formed at the front end of the elastomeric valve member 45, which is exposed at the front opening 44 of the first cylindrical portion 48. An external thread 43 located on the first cylindrical portion 48 allows coupling with a Luer thread of a syringe.When a syringe is coupled to the first cylindrical portion 48 by threading, the tip of the syringe will penetrate the groove and enter the central channel 47 of the valve member 45 for fluid transfer. The coupling body 42 of the vial adapter 4 is configured to lock onto the front end of a vial in a transfer position, as in the general configuration disclosed, e.g., in US patent 8,752,598 B2. The coupling body 42 includes a skirt 60 consisting of a plurality of curved segments arranged along the circumference of the skirt 60 at equiangular intervals and interrupted by axial grooves 62. The segments form resilient legs 61 that can flex radially outward. On the inner surfaces of the resilient legs are formed approximately 61 locking protrusions 63. The coupling body 42 includes an upper wall 55 with a central piercing mandrel 57, comprising a central cannula or lumen 58 that is in fluid communication with the central channel 47 of the valve member 45 through the mouth 58a. When the vial adapter 4 is pushed onto the front end of a vial of the type shown in Fig. 4a, the lower bevels of the protrusions 63 will eventually slide along the outer edge of the metal cap 77 crimped onto the front end of the vial and thus begin to separate the resilient legs 61 from each other. When the vial adapter 4 is pushed further onto the front end of a vial, the resilient legs will continue to separate and eventually the piercing mandrel 57 will begin to pierce or bore through the elastomeric stopper 76, sealing the opening at the front end of the vial.When the vial adapter 4 is pushed further onto the front end of a vial, the protrusions 63 will finally grip behind the lower edge of the metal cap 77 of the vial and the piercing mandrel 57 will have fully penetrated or pierced the vial stopper 76, allowing fluid to be transferred into and / or out of the vial in the transfer position shown in Fig. 4c. The cross-sectional view of Fig. 4a shows the general shape of a vial to be housed in a tray according to the present invention. The vial 7 has a cylindrical body 70 with a closed bottom portion 71 and a conical projection 73 followed by a narrow neck 74 and a wider shaped rim 75, which defines a filling opening of the vial 7. This filling opening is sealed by an elastomeric stopper 76 that is held in place by a cylindrical metal cap 77, which is crimped onto the shaped rim 75. ηοο / ηη / ζζηζ / Ε / γίΛΐ A central circular opening 78 is defined on the upper surface of the metal cap 77 and exposes a central portion of the stopper 76 to be pierced or punched by the piercing mandrel 57 of the vial adapter 4, in the transfer position shown in Fig. 4c, when a vial adapter 4 is locked to the front end of the vial 7. The cylindrical shape of said vial 7 precisely defines a centerline. To store a vial adapter 4 in a fixed positional relationship relative to said vial, allowing the transfer position to be established (when the vial adapter 4 is locked at the front end of a vial 7) by relative movement of the vial adapter 4 and the vial 7, only in an axial direction, a tray 1 according to the present invention is used, as shown in Figs. 2a to 2d. The tray 1 comprises a tray member 10 comprising at least one vial cavity 11 for at least partially accommodating a vial (not shown), and a vial adapter cavity 12 for at least partially accommodating a vial adapter (not shown).The tray member 10 preferably has a flat upper surface 10a so that packaging or a sealing film, in particular sterile packaging or a sealing film, can be adhered to the upper surface 10a to enable a vial and vial adapter to be sealed, if necessary, in the cavities of the tray member 10, preferably under sterile conditions. As shown in Fig. 2a, the tray member 10 may include additional cavities 13 to 15 that allow for additional functions, as described in more detail below. As shown in Fig. 2a, the vial adapter cavity 12 may have a stepped internal profile corresponding to the stepped external contour of the vial adapter to be housed in the vial adapter cavity 12, in order to maintain the axial position of the vial adapter fixed. Assuming (for this example) that a vial adapter with the general shape shown in Figs. 1a and 1b is to be housed in the vial adapter cavity 12, it may thus include a relatively narrow first cavity 18 to house the first cylindrical protrusion 48 of the vial adapter 4, a second cavity 21, which is slightly wider than the first cavity 18, to house the second cylindrical protrusion 50 of the vial adapter 4, and a third cavity 24, which is slightly wider than the second cavity 21, to house the coupling body 40 of the vial adapter 4. Figures 5a and 5b show how the vial adapter 4 of Figures 1a and 1b is housed in said vial adapter cavity. When an axial force is exerted on the vial adapter 4 towards its front end (e.g., as a result of pushing a vial into the vial adapter to establish the transfer position), the front end of the first cylindrical protrusion 48 of the vial adapter 4 will abut against the vertical front wall 19 of the first cavity 18 so that the position of the vial adapter 4 in the axial direction is fixed and precisely defined at least by the front wall 19. As can be deduced from Figures5a and 5b, the position of the vial adapter 4 in the axial direction can be fixed or further defined by supporting the upper surface of the second cylindrical protrusion 50 against the first stop surface 20 and the upper surface of the coupling body 42 against the second stop surface 23. In the intermediate position, which will be explained in more detail below, the vial adapter 4 can be fully housed in the cavities of the vial adapter cavity 12. As shown in Figs. 5a and 5b, the lower end of the skirt 60 of the coupling body 40 can also extend into an additional cavity 16 (hereafter also referred to as the second side cavity 16) provided in the tray member 10, which has a larger diameter than the third cavity 24 of the vial adapter cavity 12 and thus slightly exposes the lower end of the skirt 60 of the coupling body 40, so that the resilient legs 61 can flex more easily and without obstruction radially outwards when the coupling body 42 begins to lock onto the front end of a vial. To this end, the lower end of the skirt 60 preferably does not extend as far as the bottom of the widened second side cavity 16. The second side cavity 16 can also serve to facilitate the insertion of the vial adapter 4 into the vial adapter cavity 12 vertically from above, e.g.e.g., by means of a user's fingers or robotic grippers. As shown in Fig. 2a, the lower portions 18a, 22, 25 of the cavities 18, 21, 24 of the vial adapter cavity 12 are curved, with a radius of curvature corresponding to the outer radius of the corresponding cylindrical portion 48, 50, 42 of the vial adapter 4 to be housed therein. The cylindrical portion 48, 50, 42 can be used to position the vial adapter in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction of the vial adapter. As shown in Fig. 2a, the upper side walls 18b, 22a, 25a of the cavities 18, 21, 24 of the vial adapter cavity 12 can be flat and extend perpendicularly to the upper surface 10a of the tray member 10. As shown in Figs. 2a and 2d, a pair of front retaining members 37b are formed on opposite upper side walls 22a of the second cavity 21 to retain the vial adapter in the vial adapter cavity 12 in the axial direction. The front retaining members 37b can also serve to hold the vial adapter 4 pressed downwards towards the bottom of the vial adapter cavity 12 in the intermediate position. In addition, or alternatively, a second pair of rear retaining members 37a can be formed on opposite upper side walls 24a of the third cavity 24 to retain the vial adapter in the vial adapter cavity 12 in the axial direction. The second pair of front retaining members 37a can also serve to hold the vial adapter 4 pressed downwards towards the bottom of the vial adapter cavity 12 in the intermediate position.To allow unobstructed flexing of the resilient legs 61 of the coupling body 40 in the second widened side cavity 16, the rear retaining members 37a extend only along the top of the coupling body 40. As shown in Fig. 5c, the retaining members 37a, 37b are preferably integrally formed with the upper side walls 22a, 25a of the cavities 21, 24 of the vial adapter cavity 12. More specifically, the retaining members 37a, 37b may be formed as convexly curved protrusions projecting from the upper side walls 22a, 25a of the cavities 21, 24 to a height greater than the height h1 of a centerline CL of the vial adapter 4, above the bottom of the vial adapter cavity 12. In this way, a certain force component will always prevail to push the vial adapter 4 towards the bottom of the vial adapter cavity 12 when it is housed therein in the intermediate position.When a vial adapter 4 is inserted from above into a vial adapter cavity 12 for storage, or in preparation for establishing the transfer position by axial displacement, the vial adapter 4 will be locked in place by the retaining members 37a, 37b in the vial adapter cavity 12, at least in a direction perpendicular to the centerline CL of the vial adapter. This defines the orientation of the vial adapter 4 parallel to the bottom of the vial adapter cavity 12 and defines the level h1 of the centerline CL in the intermediate position. As shown in Fig. 5c, when the vial adapter 4 is housed in the vial adapter cavity 12, it preferably does not protrude beyond the upper surface 10a of the tray member 10 so that the vial adapter cavity can be sealed by adhering a sealing foil to the upper surface of tray 10a.The locking of vial adapter 4 by retaining members 37a, 37b in vial adapter cavity 12 may also be sufficient to define the position of vial adapter 4 in the axial direction. As shown in Fig. 2a, the tray member 10 further comprises a vial cavity 11 for accommodating a vial (not shown) separated from the vial adapter and axially aligned with the vial adapter in the intermediate position. The term "separated" means that, in the intermediate position, which will be explained in more detail below, the piercing mandrel 57 of the vial adapter 4 is not yet in contact with the upper surface of the stopper of the vial 7, meaning that there is some space between the lower end of the skirt 60 and the metal cap 77 of the vial 7, as shown in Fig. 3a. In the intermediate position, the side surface of the metal cap 77 of the vial 7 can extend slightly into an intermediate cavity 13 located between the vial adapter 12 and the vial cavity 11.The width of the intermediate cavity 13 can correspond to the outer diameter of the metal cap 77, so that the vial 7 is further guided by the side walls 27 of the intermediate cavity 13 during the final stage of perforating the vial stopper by the perforating mandrel 57. Of course, the width of the intermediate cavity 13 can also be slightly larger than the outer diameter of the metal cap 77. As shown in Fig. 2a, the vial cavity 11 can have an internal profile corresponding to the external contour of the vial body 70 (see Fig. 3a) of the vial to be housed in the vial cavity 11. More specifically, the vial cavity 11 can have a curved bottom with a radius of curvature corresponding to the external radius of the vial body 70. As shown in Figs. 2a and 2d, the upper side walls 17a of the vial cavity 11 can be flat and extend perpendicularly to the upper surface 10a of the tray member 10. As shown in Figs. 2a and 2d, a pair of front vial retaining members 36b are formed on opposite upper side walls 17a of the vial cavity 11 to retain the vial in the vial cavity 11 in the intermediate direction.The front vial retaining members 36b can also be used to push the vial body down into the bottom 17 of the vial cavity 11 to define the height of the vial centerline in the intermediate position. Additionally, a second pair of rear vial retaining members 36a can be formed on the opposite upper side walls 17a of the vial cavity 11 to retain the vial adapter in the vial cavity 11 in the intermediate position. The rear vial retaining members 36a can also be used to push the vial body down into the bottom 17a of the vial adapter cavity 11 to define the height of the vial centerline in the intermediate position. As shown in Fig. 5d, the retaining members 36a, 36b are preferably integrally formed with the upper side walls 17a of the vial cavity 11. More specifically, the retaining members 36a, 36b can be formed as convexly curved protrusions projecting from the upper side walls of the vial cavity at a height h2, which is greater than the height h1 of a centerline CL of the vial body 70 above the bottom 17 of the vial cavity 11. In this way, a certain force component will always prevail to push the vial body 70 towards the bottom 17 of the vial cavity 11 when it is housed therein in the intermediate position.When a vial 7 is inserted from above into a vial cavity 11 for storage or positioning, the vial 7 will be locked in place by the retaining members 36a and 36b in the vial cavity 11 at least in a direction perpendicular to the centerline CL of the vial body 70. This defines an orientation of the vial 7 parallel to the bottom of the vial cavity 11 and axially aligned with the vial adapter housed in the vial adapter cavity in the intermediate position. As shown in Figs. 5c and 5d, when the vial body 70 is housed in the vial cavity 11, it may not protrude beyond the upper surface 10a of the tray member 10 so that the vial cavity 11 can be sealed by adhering a packaging film to the upper surface of the tray member 10.The blocking of the vial body 70 by the retaining members 36a, 36b in the vial cavity 11 may also be sufficient to define the position of the vial in the axial direction. As shown in Fig. 2d, movement-limiting protrusions 35a and 35b may be located in the vial cavity 11, near the rear end of the vial cavity 11 and near the transition point between the vial body 70 and the vial protrusion 73 (see Fig. 3a), to define the axial position of the vial even more precisely by the protrusions of the vial cavity 11 stopping against the lower portion and the vial protrusion, respectively. Additional movement-limiting protrusions 35c may also be provided on the lateral surfaces of the vial adapter cavity 11, particularly at its front end. As shown in Fig. 4a, the vial body 70 may exhibit some axial play when housed in the vial cavity 11 during the storage position, but the vial body 70 may also be housed in the vial cavity 11 during the storage position without exhibiting such axial play. The movement-limiting protrusions 35a, 35b, and 35c may be integrally formed with the bottom or side walls of the vial cavity 11, and are preferably formed on the bottom 17 of the vial cavity 11, as shown in Fig. 2d. The movement-limiting protrusions 35a, 35b, 35c may be formed as convex bulges that protrude slightly into vial cavity 11. The rear movement-limiting protrusion 35a may be U-shaped to extend along the entire posterior end of vial cavity 11, as shown in Fig. 2a.Since the vial body 70 will slide over the front motion-limiting protrusion 35b on its journey to the transfer position, the front motion-limiting protrusion 35b can be relatively shallow and thin so that the vial body 70 can easily press against it. As shown in Figs. 2a and 2d, the front motion-limiting protrusion 35b can be arranged in the region of the intermediate cavity 13. Figures 2b and 2c show tray 1 in a bottom perspective view and a side view, respectively. The tray member 10 is preferably made of plastic material, in particular by vacuum thermoforming or pressure thermoforming of a thin plastic sheet or by plastic injection molding, and preferably all the retaining and movement-limiting members 19, 37a, 37b, 35a, 35b, 35c, 36a, 36b are integrally formed with the tray member 10. However, any other material may also be used. In particular, the tray member may also be made of paper or cardboard. A thin film of plastic or bioplastic may be disposed on the inner surfaces of the vial adapter cavity 12 and the vial cavity 11 to allow sterile storage of both the vial adapter and the vial in the cavities 11 and 12.Document DE 102011122211 A1 discloses an example of such composite packaging material, which includes a substrate made of paper or cardboard coated with a thin film of plastic or bioplastic, and all the content of document DE 102011122211 A1 is incorporated by reference. Figure 3a shows a packaging unit 9 according to the present invention, consisting of a tray 1 that holds a vial adapter and a vial as described above and is sealed by a packaging film 8. The packaging film 8 can seal the entire tray, together with the vial adapter and the vial, in a sterile manner against the environment. To this end, the packaging film 8 can be adhesively bonded to the flat upper surface of the tray 1. Alternatively, the tray 1 can be housed in a sealed pouch formed by the packaging film 8. The packaging film 8 can be gas-permeable, in particular a Tyvek® film, to allow steam sterilization of the tray 1, the vial, and the vial adapter by means of a gas flowing through the packaging film 8. ηοο / ηη / ζζηζ / Ε / γίΛΐ Figure 3a shows the packaging unit with the vial and vial adapter in an intermediate position. In this position, the vial adapter is fixed within the vial adapter cavity in a predetermined orientation, while the vial is separated from the adapter and axially aligned with it. In this intermediate position, the piercing mandrel 57 is still separated from the outer surface of the vial stopper, without piercing it. From this intermediate position, the transfer position, in which the vial adapter is locked to the front end of the vial, can be established by relative axial displacement of the vial and the vial adapter.More specifically, in preferred embodiments of the present invention, the vial adapter is not moved, while the vial is pushed axially toward the vial adapter until the vial adapter is locked at the front end of the vial and the piercing mandrel has pierced the vial stopper for fluid transfer. In the first embodiment shown in Fig. 3a, the intermediate position of the vial adapter and the vial is identical to the storage position of the vial adapter and the vial. To attach vial adapter 4 to vial 7, packaging film 8 must first be removed from tray 1. Fig. 4a is a cross-sectional view of tray 1 with vial adapter 4 and vial 7 in the intermediate position after removal of packaging film 8. In the intermediate position, vial adapter 4 and vial 7 are held apart from each other in a fixed positional relationship and in axial alignment, meaning that the centerline of vial adapter 4 will coincide with the centerline of vial 7. To begin coupling vial adapter 4 with vial 7, vial 7 is pushed axially toward vial adapter 4, as shown in Figs. 3b and 4b. For this purpose, a user's finger or a robotic limb can push the lower portion 71 of vial 7 in the direction of vial adapter 4. To facilitate access to the lower portion 71 of vial 7 for a user or robot, a rear cavity 14 can be provided, which can be relatively deep and extend slightly beyond the lower portion 17 of vial cavity 11. When vial 7 is pushed toward vial adapter 4, the vial body 70 pushes down the front motion-limiting protrusion 35b. As shown in Fig.5e, during this axial movement of vial 7 towards vial adapter 4, the axial alignment of the centerline CL of vial 7 with the centerline CL of vial adapter 4 is maintained because the retaining protrusions 36a, 36b of vial cavity 11 continue to push down the vial body 70 towards the bottom 17 of vial cavity 11, and because the retaining protrusions 37a, 37b of vial adapter cavity 12 (see Fig. 3a) push down the vial adapter towards the bottom of the vial adapter cavity. Thus, the metal cap 77 of vial 7 enters the intermediate cavity region 13. Finally, vial 7 reaches the position shown in Fig. 4b, where the piercing mandrel 57 is about to make contact with the upper surface of the plug 76 to begin piercing the plug 76.In this position, the axial alignment of vial 7 with vial adapter 4 is maintained at least by the front vial retention protrusion 36b, and preferably also by the rear vial retention protrusion 36a. The piercing mandrel 57 of the vial adapter 4 will thus begin to pierce the center of the vial's stopper 76. When the vial adapter 7 is further pushed toward the vial adapter 4, the lower bevels of the resilient leg protrusions 63 will eventually slide along the outer edge of the metal cap 77 of the vial 7 and thus begin to separate the resilient legs 61. At the same time, the piercing mandrel 57 will begin to pierce or bore the elastomeric stopper 76 of the vial 7. The piercing mandrel 57 thus helps to maintain axial alignment between the vial 7 and the vial adapter 4, so that the rear vial retaining protrusions 36a can finally cease to make contact with the outer surface of the vial body 70.When vial 7 is further pushed into vial adapter 4, the locking protrusions 63 of the vial adapter will finally grip the lower edge of the metal cap 77 of vial 7 from behind, and the piercing mandrel 57 will have fully penetrated or pierced the vial stopper 76, allowing fluid to be transferred into and / or out of vial 7 in the transfer position shown in Fig. 4c. In the transfer position of Fig. 4c, the assembly consisting of the vial adapter 4, locked onto the front end of the vial 7, as shown in Fig. 3d, can be removed from tray 1. The first lateral cavity 15 facilitates gripping the assembly, as the outer surface of the vial body 70 is exposed in this cavity during the transfer position and can be easily grasped by a user's fingers or a robot's manipulator members, such as grippers. Fig. 3d shows the assembly after removal from tray 1. As can be deduced from Fig. 3a, the first side cavity 15 can also serve to allow access to the front end of the vial body 70 by means of a user's index and middle fingers, or by means of robotic grippers, so that the vial body 70 can be grasped and held to promote the axial displacement of the vial 7 towards the vial adapter 4, from the intermediate position shown in Fig. 3a to the transfer position shown in Fig. 3c. This axial displacement can be further promoted by the contact of a user's thumb with the lower part 71 of the vial 7, through the rear cavity 14. Since vial adapter 4 and vial 7 can be stored under sterile conditions in the sterile packaging unit, the assembly is ready for use after removal from tray 1. If necessary, only the front end of vial adapter 4 needs to be disinfected again, e.g., using a disinfectant swab, before attaching vial adapter 4 to a medical device (such as a syringe) via thread 43. The transfer position can be achieved quickly and reliably because tray 1 allows for intuitive operation and because axial alignment between vial adapter 4 and vial 7 can be reliably maintained throughout all stages of the operation. The preceding description assumes a preferred case in which vial adapter 4 rests stationary in the vial adapter cavity 12, while its orientation is maintained by means of the vial adapter retaining protrusions 37a, 37b, as described above. However, as will become apparent to those skilled in studying the preceding description, the transfer position can also be achieved from the intermediate position by any other suitable relative movement between vial adapter 4 and vial 7, including the reverse extreme case in which vial 7 is held stationary in the vial cavity while vial adapter 4 is pushed toward the stationary vial 7, and including mixed cases in which both vial 7 and vial adapter 4 are moved axially toward each other.During axial displacement from the intermediate position to the final transfer position, preferably neither the vial adapter nor the vial should move in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction. Figures 6a-6c show a tray according to a second embodiment of the present invention. Unlike the first embodiment mentioned above, the front movement-limiting protrusions 35b are formed on the lateral surfaces of the vial cavity 11 at its front end. The upper lateral surfaces of all the tray cavities 1 can be inclined outwards at a small acute angle to allow multiple trays 1 to be stacked after use and to facilitate their transport to a vial manufacturer's or supplier's premises in a more compact, grouped configuration. When a plurality of such trays 1 are stacked on top of one another, the protrusions 37a, 37b, 36a, 36b, and 35a automatically serve to maintain a certain spacing between the trays 1 and to facilitate their separation. ηαο / ηη / ζζηζ / Ε / γίΛΐ As shown in Fig. 6a, additional spacers 38, formed as protrusions, can be provided on the upper side surfaces of one or more tray 1 cavities to maintain the spaces between the trays in a grouped configuration. Figure 7a shows a sterile packaging unit 9 with a tray 1 according to a third embodiment of the present invention, in a position used for long-term storage of the vial and vial adapter. Also in the third embodiment, the storage position corresponds to the intermediate position. In the third embodiment, the vial adapter cavity 12 is sealed from the rest of the tray 1 by a second packaging film, preferably sterile. The entire tray is sealed from the environment, preferably sterile, by a packaging film 8 that adheres to the upper surface of the tray 1. Unlike the prior embodiments, the front end 32 of the first side cavity 15 is inclined at an acute angle, e.g., in the range of approximately 20 degrees, relative to the normal on the upper surface of the tray 1.In the intermediate cavity 13 there is a U-shaped passage 33, which is configured so that the front end of the vial, including the metal cap 77, can be pushed through it, and which is sealed with respect to the rest of the tray 1 by the second packaging sheet 8a. To establish the transfer position, the packaging film 8 must first be removed, as shown in Fig. 7b, so that the vial 7 (and in particular the top surface of the vial stopper) is exposed and can be disinfected, if necessary, using a disinfectant swab before attaching the vial adapter to the vial. Figure 7c shows the front end of tray 1 with the vial adapter cavity 12 at a larger scale. The second packaging film 8a is bonded along the seam line 8c to the top surface of tray 1 and the angled front end 32 of the first side cavity 15. The seam line 8c extends around the entire perimeter of the vial adapter cavity 12 so that the vial adapter cavity 12 can be sterile sealed if required. To facilitate peeling of the second packaging film 8a, a corner portion 8b of the second film 8a is not bonded to the top surface of tray 1. After peeling off the second packaging film 8a, both vial adapter 4 and vial 7 are partially exposed in the intermediate position shown in Fig. 7d. To establish the transfer position and lock vial adapter 4 into the front end of vial 7, simply move vial 7 axially, guided at least by the front vial retention protrusions 36b of vial cavity 11, as described above. Finally, the assembly consisting of vial adapter 4 locked into the front end of vial 7, as described above, can be removed from the tray. Figure 8a shows a sterile packaging unit 9 with a tray 1 according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention, in a position used for the long-term storage of the vial 7 and the vial adapter 4. Unlike prior embodiments, the storage position of the vial adapter 4 is different from the intermediate position. As shown in Figure 8a, the tray 1 includes a vial adapter tray member 100 comprising a vial adapter storage cavity 101, which is used for the long-term storage of the vial adapter 4. In this embodiment, the vial adapter tray member 100 is connected to the tray 1 via a hinge 102. Preferably, the vial adapter tray member 100 and the tray 1 are integral, and the hinge 102 can be a laminar hinge integrally formed with the vial adapter tray member 100 and the tray 1.In the storage position, the entire packaging unit 9 may be sealed from the environment, preferably under sterile conditions, by means of a packaging film 8 attached to the upper surfaces of the vial adapter tray member 100 and the tray 1. After removing the packaging film 8, the vial 7 may be at least partially exposed in the vial cavity 11, as shown in Fig. 8b. Preferably, in the fourth embodiment, the vial adapter storage cavity 101 is separately sealed from the rest of the tray by a second packaging film 8a, preferably under sterile conditions. As shown in Fig. 8b, the second packaging film 8a may be adhered to the upper surface of the vial adapter tray member 100. After peeling off the second packaging film 8a, both vial adapter 4 and vial 7 are partially exposed in the position shown in Fig. 8c. To transfer vial adapter 4 into the vial adapter cavity 12 of tray 12, the vial adapter tray member 100 is rotated around the hinge 102 until the top surfaces of the vial adapter tray member 100 and tray 1 are flush with each other and the vial adapter storage cavity 101 is positioned vertically above the vial adapter cavity 12, as shown in Fig. 8d. Since vial adapter 4 is not locked in the vial adapter storage cavity 101, it will fall down into the vial adapter cavity 12 of tray 1, as shown in Fig. 8e.The vial adapter tray member 100 can then be rotated backward on the hinge 102 to the position shown in Fig. 8f. In this position, it may be necessary to push the vial adapter 4 completely into the vial adapter cavity 12, e.g., by means of a user's finger or a robotic member, to overcome the small resistance force generated by the vial adapter retention protrusions 37a, 37b of the vial adapter cavity 12. Finally, the intermediate position will be established, in which the vial adapter 4 is located within the vial adapter cavity 12 in a fixed position and a predetermined orientation, retained in the vial adapter cavity 12 by the vial adapter retention protrusions 37a and 37b, while the vial 7 is separated from the vial adapter 4 and axially aligned with the vial adapter 4, as shown in Fig. 8f.To move vial adapter 4 from the intermediate position to the transfer position, vial 7 should only be moved axially towards vial adapter 4, as described above. Figure 9 shows a modification of the packaging unit of Figure 8a. Unlike the packaging unit of Figure 8a, in packaging unit 9 of this embodiment, only the vial adapter storage cavity 101 is sealed from the environment by means of a packaging film 8a that is adhered only to the upper surface of the vial adapter tray member 100, preferably under sterile conditions. The packaging unit 9 of this embodiment can be supplied to customers in the position shown in Figure 9, or alternatively without vial 7. To establish the transfer position, vial 7 must first be inserted into the vial cavity 11 and locked in place by the vial retention protrusions 36a and 36b. If necessary, the upper surface of the vial stopper, which is exposed in the position shown in Figure 9, can be disinfected (e.g., with a disinfectant swab).9, before attaching the vial adapter to the vial. The position shown in Fig. 9 corresponds to that shown in Fig. 8b and explained above. In this position, vial adapter 4 is stored in a storage position in vial adapter storage cavity 101, while vial 7 is housed in vial cavity 11 already in its intermediate position. To establish the transfer position and attach the vial adapter to the vial, it is necessary to carry out the sequence of procedures described above with reference to Figs. 8c-8f. Figures 10a and 10b show a packaging unit with a tray according to a further embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, a tray member insert 100 is provided as a separate member that can be inserted into a cavity 12a of the tray 1. According to this embodiment, the vial adapter 4 is stored in the cavity 12 of the insert 100 and sealed from the environment by a packaging film 8a, preferably sterile. More specifically, the packaging film 8a is adhered to the upper surface of the insert 100 and to the inclined front wall 32.When insert 100 is fully inserted into cavity 12a of tray 1, the vial adapter will automatically be positioned in the intermediate position described above. In this position, vial adapter 4 is located within the vial adapter cavity 12 of insert 100 in a fixed position and predetermined orientation, held by the vial adapter retention protrusions. Vial 7 is separated from vial adapter 4 and axially aligned with it. To establish the transfer position and couple vial adapter 4 to vial 7, simply push vial 7 axially into vial adapter 4 as described above. If necessary, the top surface of the vial stopper, which is exposed in the position shown in Fig. 10b, can be disinfected (e.g., with a disinfectant swab) before coupled vial adapter 4 to vial 7.According to this embodiment, a manufacturer can supply vial adapter 4 as a separate component, already packaged in the specially designed insert 100. Alternatively, the vial manufacturer can also supply vial adapter 4 already packaged in the specially designed insert 100. The customer can store or reuse tray 1, and the customer can insert vial 7 into vial cavity 11 of tray 1 independently. Alternatively, the vial manufacturer can supply the customer with tray 1 together with vial 7 retained in vial cavity 11. As will be evident to experts in the above description, a tray according to the present invention can be used for the storage / positioning of any type of transfer adapter that allows the transfer of liquid into and / or outside of a medical container, and for the storage / positioning of any other type of medical container except vials, such as cartridges or syringe bodies. Of course, a vial adapter as described above can also be coupled with additional units for liquid transfer while placed / stored in a tray according to the present invention. As an example of such a combination of a vial adapter with an additional unit, Fig. 1c shows a vial adapter 4 coupled with a pump dispenser 5. Such a combined vial adapter unit can be placed / stored in a tray according to the present invention in the same manner described above for the vial adapter itself. As shown in Fig. 1c, the vial adapter comprises a coupling portion 65a configured for coupling with the additional unit, in this case the pump dispenser 5. The coupling portion 65a can be a cylindrical portion with a thread on its outer surface, for screwing onto the pump dispenser 5.At its front end, the vial adapter 4 of Fig. 1c further comprises a finger rest 65b to enable easy gripping of the vial adapter 4 together with the pump dispenser 5. The pump dispenser 5 comprises a main pump dispenser body 65c, which may include a standard pumping mechanism, and a pump dispenser spray unit 65d, which may simultaneously serve as an operating button for operating the pumping mechanism by repeatedly pressing down on the pump dispenser spray unit 65d. Although preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described in such a way that persons skilled in the art may implement the device of the present invention, it should be understood that variations and modifications may be employed without departing from the concept and intent of the present invention as defined in the appended claims. Accordingly, the foregoing description is intended to be illustrative and should not be used to limit the scope of the invention. The scope of the invention shall be determined solely by reference to the appended claims. List of reference numbers vial adapter tray vial pump dispenser foil to second foil noo / nn / zznz / E / YiAi 8b Unbonded corner of second sheet 8a 8c Bonding line 9 Combined packaging unit 10 Tray member 10a Top surface of tray member 10 11 Vial cavity 12 Vial adapter cavity 12a Cavity for accommodating tray member insert 100 12b Slanted partition 12c Bottom 13 Intermediate cavity 14 Rear end cavity 15 First side cavity 16 Second side cavity 17 Bottom of vial cavity 16 17a Top side wall of vial cavity 16 18 First cavity 18a Bottom of first cavity 18 18b Top side wall of first cavity 18 19 Front wall 20 First stop surface 21 Second cavity 22 Bottom of second cavity 21 22a Top side wall of second cavity 21 23 Second stop surface 24 Third cavity 25 Bottom of third cavity 24 25a upper lateral wall of the third cavity 24 26 lateral wall of the second lateral cavity 1627 side wall of the intermediate cavity 13 28 lower part of the intermediate cavity 13 29 side wall of the first lateral cavity 15 ηοο / ηη / ζζηζ / Ε / γίΛΐ 30 rear end cavity side wall 14 31 rear wall 32 sloped partition 33 passage 35a rear motion limiting protrusion 35b front motion limiting protrusion 35c front motion limiting protrusion 36a rear vial retaining protrusion 36b front vial retaining protrusion 37a rear vial adapter retaining protrusion 37b front vial adapter retaining protrusion 38 spacer 40 valve body 41 connecting ring 42 coupling body 43 thread 44 front opening 45 valve member 46 valve stem 47 center channel 48 first cylindrical portion 49 tapered portion 50 second cylindrical portion 51 first step 52 connection region 53 cylindrical wall 54 second step 55 top wall 56 third step 57 piercing mandrel 58 cannula 58a cannula mouth 58 59 transfer channel 60 skirt 61 resilient leg 62 groove 63 locking protrusion 64 lower end 65a coupling portion 65b finger rest 65c pump dispenser main body 65d pump dispenser spray unit 70 vial body 71 vial bottom 72 lower rim 73 projection 74 neck 75 shaped rim 76 rubber stopper 77 metal cap 78 center hole 80 contact region 100 vial adapter tray member / tray member insert 101 vial adapter storage cavity 102 hinge 103 locking protrusion 104 support leg CL centerline h1 height of the centerline CL above the bottom of the vial cavity 11 h2 height of the contact region 80 above the bottom of the vial cavity 11

Claims

1. A tray (1) for placing a vial (7) for medical or pharmaceutical applications together with a vial adapter (4) in a fixed positional relationship to each other, said vial adapter (4) comprising a piercing mandrel (57) and being configured to lock into a front end of the vial (7) in a transfer position, wherein the piercing mandrel (57) pierces a stopper (76) of the vial (7) for the transfer of a liquid to the outside and / or inside of the vial (7), said tray (1) comprising: a tray member (10) having a flat upper surface (10a), a vial cavity (11) for accommodating at least a portion of the vial (7), and a vial adapter cavity (12) for accommodating at least a portion of the vial adapter (4), wherein the vial cavity (11) and the vial adapter cavity (12) are open towards the flat upper surface (10a),Both the vial adapter cavity (12) and the vial cavity (11) comprise retaining members (19; 17, 22, 25; 37a, 37b, 35a, 35b, 36a, 36b), which are integrally formed with a side wall of the vial cavity (11) and the vial adapter cavity (12), respectively, wherein the retaining members (19; 17, 22, 25; 37a, 37b, 35a, 35b, 36a, 36b) are configured to (a) position the vial adapter (4) and the vial (7) in an intermediate position, wherein the vial adapter (4) is in a fixed position and in a predetermined orientation while the vial (7) is separated from the vial adapter (4) and axially aligned with the vial adapter (4), and (b) guide a relative movement of the vial (7) and the vial adapter (4) from the intermediate position to the transfer position, maintaining the axial alignment of the vial (7) and the vial adapter (4) with each other.

2. The tray according to claim 1, wherein the flat upper surface (10a) surrounds the vial cavity (11) and the vial adapter cavity (12).

3. The tray according to claim 1, wherein the retaining members comprise pairs of protrusions (19, 37a, 37b, 35a, 35b, 35c, 36a, 36b) formed on opposite side walls (21, 24, 17a) of the vial adapter cavity (12) and the vial cavity (11), respectively, which are configured to make contact with the side surfaces of the vial adapter (4) and the vial (7), respectively, for positioning the vial adapter (4) and the vial (7).

4. The tray according to claim 3, wherein a height (h2) of the contact regions (80) of the protrusions (19, 37a, 37b, 36a, 36b) with the lateral surfaces of the vial adapter (4) and the vial (7), respectively, above the lower part (22, 25, 17) of the vial adapter cavity (12) and the vial cavity (11), respectively, is greater than the height of a centerline (CL) of the vial adapter (4) and the vial (7) above the lower part (22, 25, 17) of the vial adapter cavity (12) and the vial cavity (11).

5. The tray according to claim 3, wherein each of the opposite side walls (21, 24, 17a) on which the protrusions (19, 37a, 37b, 35a, 35b, 36a, 36b) are formed are flat, vertical side walls.

6. The tray according to claim 3, wherein the vial cavity (11) comprises at least two pairs of protrusions (36a, 36b) formed on opposite side walls (21, 24, 17a) of the vial cavity (11) and, during the transfer position, at least one pair of protrusions (36b) is still in contact with the side surfaces of the vial (7).

7. The tray according to claim 1, wherein said tray member (10) further comprises guide protrusions (37a, 37b, 36a, 36b) for maintaining axial alignment between the vial (7) and the vial adapter (4), during relative movement between the vial (7) and the vial adapter (4) in the cavities (11, 12) from the intermediate position to the transfer position.

8. The tray according to claim 1, wherein the lower part (17) of the vial cavity (11) is curved with a radius of curvature corresponding to an outer radius of the body (70) of the vial (7) and the profile of the lower part (22, 25) of the vial adapter cavity (12) corresponds to an outer profile of the vial adapter (4).

9. The tray according to claim 1, wherein the vial cavity (11) further comprises axial position limiting members (35a, 35b) configured to delimit an axial movement of the vial (7) within the vial cavity (11) in the storage position.

10. The tray according to claim 9, wherein the axial position limiting members (35a, 35b) are more flexible than the retaining members (36a, 36b) of the vial cavity (11).

11. The tray according to claim 1, wherein the vial adapter cavity (12) is configured to hold the vial adapter (4) in a fixed axial position within the vial adapter cavity (12) and the vial cavity retaining members (11) are configured to guide an axial movement of the vial (7) towards the vial adapter (4), from the intermediate position to the transfer position, maintaining the axial alignment of the vial (7) and vial adapter (4) with each other.

12. The tray according to claim 11, wherein the vial adapter (4) has a stepped outer contour and the vial adapter cavity (12) comprises a plurality of cavities (18, 21, 24) of different widths, and a plurality of stop surfaces (19, 20, 23) that delimit the axial displacement of the vial adapter (4) in the opposite direction to the vial (7) by butting contact with the stepped outer contour of the vial adapter (4).

13. The tray according to claim 1, wherein the tray member (10) further comprises an intermediate cavity (13, 15) formed between the vial adapter cavity (12) and the vial cavity (11), wherein a lower end (64) of the vial adapter (4) is separated from the front end of the vial (7) in the intermediate position.

14. The tray according to claim 13, wherein the intermediate cavity comprises a portion (15) sufficiently wide to allow access to the body (70) of the vial (7) by means of a user's fingers or robotic grippers in the intermediate position, to drive the relative movement of the vial (7) and the vial adapter (4) and / or to remove the vial (7), together with the vial adapter (4) locked at the front end of the vial (7), from the tray member (10) in the transfer position.

15. The tray according to claim 1, wherein the tray member (10) further comprises a rear-end cavity (14), wherein a lower portion (71) of the vial (7) is sufficiently exposed to allow access to the lower portion (71) by a user's finger or a robotic handling member, to drive the axial movement of the vial (7) from the intermediate position to the transfer position.

16. The tray according to claim 1, wherein the tray member (10) is made of a plastic material and wherein the retaining members (19, 37a, 37b, 35a, 35b, 35c, 36a, 36b) are integrally formed with the tray member (10).

17. The tray according to claim 16, wherein the tray member (10) is manufactured by vacuum thermoforming or pressure thermoforming of a plastic sheet, or by plastic injection molding.

18. The tray according to claim 1, wherein the tray member (10) is made of paper or cardboard, and wherein the retaining members (19, 37a, 37b, 35a, 35b, 35c, 36a, 36b) are integrally formed with the tray member (10).

19. The tray according to claim 18, wherein a thin film of plastic or bioplastic is disposed on the inner surfaces of the vial adapter cavity (12) and the vial cavity (11).

20. The tray according to claim 1, wherein the tray member (10) comprises a vial adapter tray member (100) having a vial adapter storage cavity (101) used for long-term storage of the vial adapter (4), wherein the vial adapter storage cavity (101) and the vial adapter cavity (12) are configured to allow displacement of the vial adapter (4) from the vial adapter storage cavity (101) to the vial adapter cavity (12) to position the vial adapter (4) in the intermediate position.

21. The tray according to claim 20, wherein the vial adapter tray member (100) is connected to the tray member (10) via a hinge (102) so that the vial adapter tray member (100) can be pivoted about the hinge (102) to position the vial adapter storage cavity (101) vertically above the vial adapter cavity (12) and thereby allow the vial adapter (4) to be moved from the vial adapter storage cavity (101) to the vial adapter cavity (12) to place the vial adapter (4) in the intermediate position.

22. The tray according to claim 20, wherein the vial adapter tray member is a tray member insert (100) including the vial adapter cavity (12) and the tray member (10) comprises a positioning cavity (12a), wherein the tray member insert (100) is configured for insertion into the positioning cavity (12a) of the tray member (10) as a separate member, and wherein, when the tray member insert (100) is inserted into the positioning cavity (12a) of the tray member (10), the vial adapter (4) is positioned in the intermediate position.

23. The tray according to claim 22, wherein the tray member insert (100) comprises locking means (103) for locking the tray member insert (100) into the tray member (10), for positioning the tray member insert (100) in the positioning cavity (12a) of the tray member (10).

24. A packaging unit (9) for packaging a vial (7) for medical or pharmaceutical applications together with a vial adapter (4), said vial adapter (4) comprising a piercing mandrel (57) and being configured to lock into a front end of the vial (7) in a transfer position, wherein the piercing mandrel (57) pierces a stopper (76) of the vial (7) for the transfer of a liquid to the outside and / or inside of the vial (7), said packaging unit (9) comprising a tray (1) for placing the vial (7) together with the vial adapter (4) in a fixed positional relationship to each other, and a packaging sheet (8, 8a), wherein the tray (1) comprises a tray member (10) having a flat upper surface (10a), a vial cavity (11) for accommodating at least a portion of the vial (7), and a vial adapter cavity (12) for accommodating at least a portion of the vial adapter (4),wherein the vial cavity (11) and the vial adapter cavity (12) are open to the flat upper surface (10a), and both the vial adapter cavity (12) and the vial cavity (11) comprise retaining members (19; 17, 22, 25; 37a, 37b, 35a, 35b, 36a, 36b), which are integrally formed with a side wall of the vial cavity (11) and the vial adapter cavity (12), respectively, configured to position the vial adapter (4) and the vial (7) in an intermediate position, wherein the vial adapter (4) is held in a fixed position and in a predetermined orientation while the vial (7) is separated from the vial adapter (4) and axially aligned with the vial adapter (4), and to guide a relative movement of the vial (7) and the vial adapter (4) from the intermediate position to the transfer position while maintaining the axial alignment of the vial (7) and the vial adapter (4) together,wherein when the vial adapter (4) is housed in the vial adapter cavity (12), the vial (7) is housed at least partially in the vial cavity (11) separate from the vial adapter (4), and the tray member (10) is sealed from the environment by the packaging foil (8, 8a).

25. The packaging unit (9) according to claim 24, wherein the packaging film (8, 8a) is adhesively attached to the upper surface of the tray member (10).

26. The packaging unit (9) according to claim 24, wherein the tray member (10) comprises a vial adapter tray member (100) having a vial adapter storage cavity (101) for long-term storage of the vial adapter (4), and wherein the vial adapter storage cavity (101) is sealed by a second packaging sheet (8a).

Images