Cartridge Nest With Integrated Centering for Low-Abrasion Filling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing nested solutions for pharmaceutical and cosmetic containers require separate positioning aids to ensure parallel alignment during filling, which can cause damage, abrasion, and fill level fluctuations, and are prone to contamination and particle generation.
Innovation Solution
A holding structure with alignment elements in the receptacles that contact only a part of the outer surface of the containers, ensuring vertical alignment without the need for separate positioning means, minimizing tilting and abrasion, and facilitating easy insertion and removal.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If separate positioning aids (perforated plates) are used to ensure parallel positioning of containers, then positioning precision is improved, but device complexity increases and contamination risk increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the positioning function directly into the nest structure by integrating alignment elements (such as ribs or guide surfaces) into the nest's receptacles. This merging eliminates the need for separate positioning aids like perforated plates, thereby reducing device complexity while maintaining positioning precision during the filling process.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the positioning function from separate positioning aids and integrates it directly into the nest structure. By taking out the need for additional positioning components and embedding the alignment functionality within the nest itself, the solution simplifies the overall system while ensuring precise container positioning.
2Manufacturing precision
If separate positioning aids (perforated plates) are used to ensure parallel positioning of containers, then positioning precision is improved, but contamination risk increases
Solution Approach 1:
By merging the positioning function into the nest structure itself through integrated alignment elements, the patent eliminates the need for separate positioning aids that could introduce contamination. The alignment features become part of the primary containment system, reducing the number of interfaces and potential contamination sources.
3Manufacturing precision
If separate positioning aids (perforated plates) are used to ensure parallel positioning of containers, then positioning precision is improved, but particle generation increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the positioning function into the nest structure, eliminating separate positioning aids that could generate particles through friction or contact. By using integrated alignment elements, the system reduces mechanical interactions that might produce particles, thereby maintaining positioning precision while minimizing particle generation.
4Object-affected harmful factors
If alignment elements contact only a part of the outer surface of containers, then abrasion is reduced, but positioning stability may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by designing alignment elements that contact only specific localized areas of the container outer surface rather than extensive surfaces. This localized contact reduces the area subject to abrasion while maintaining sufficient positioning stability through strategically placed contact points that provide adequate mechanical guidance.
Solution Approach 2:
The alignment function is segmented into discrete, localized contact points or small-area features on the alignment elements. This segmentation allows the system to provide sufficient positioning stability through multiple distributed contact points while minimizing the total contact area and thus reducing overall abrasion on the container surface.
Data Source
Figure 1A~1B
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
The present invention relates to a holding structure (100) for concurrently holding a plurality of primary packaging containers (200) for substances for pharmaceutical, medical or cosmetic applications, each primary packaging container (200) comprising an elongated cylindrical body region (201) having a longitudinal axis Lcontainer that runs in a longitudinal direction through the centre of the elongated cylindrical body region (201), the holding structure (100) comprising: - a plurality of receptacles (101) for accommodating at least a section (201') of the elongated cylindrical body region (201) of the primary packaging container (200), each receptacle (101) having a depth h, an upper end (102) for inserting the primary packaging container (200) into the receptacle (101), a bottom end (103) having a holding portion (104) configured to limit an axial movement of the primary packaging container (200) in the receptacle (101), a circumferentially formed side wall (105) extending in a longitudinal direction from the upper end (102) to the bottom end (103) and a longitudinal axis Lreceptable that runs in a longitudinal direction through the centre of the receptacle (101); - alignment elements (106) in each receptacle (101) that project radially into the receptacle (101) and that are adapted and arranged to contact a part of the outer surface of the elongated cylindrical body region (201) of a primary packaging container (200) accommodated in the receptacle (101); wherein the alignment elements (106) in each receptacle (101) are adapted and arranged to contact a part of the outer surface of the elongated cylindrical body region (201) in such a way that a primary packaging container (200) accommodated in the receptacle (101) in a resting position is tilt by an angel α of not more than 2.4 degrees, the tilting angle α being the angle that is formed between longitudinal axis Lreceptacle and longitudinal axis Lcontainer of the primary packaging container (200) accommodated in the receptacle (101) and the resting position being the position in which the holding portion (104) limits the axial movement of the primary packaging container (200) accommodated in the receptacle (101). The invention also relates to an arrangement comprising the holding structure (100) and a plurality of primary packaging containers (200), to a transport unit comprising the arrangement and a secondary packaging container and to the use of the holding structure (100).