Medical Container Holding Device With Segmented Elevations
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing holding devices for medical containers often deform during the filling process due to the weight of multiple containers, leading to misalignment and inaccuracies in filling and stoppering, as well as issues during transport.
Innovation Solution
A holding device with a supporting plate featuring a peripheral lower portion, upper portions of different elevations, and upwardly angled portions, along with protruding chimneys to guide medical container insertion, is designed to resist deformation and maintain the upright orientation of medical containers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a conventional nest or tray is used to hold multiple medical containers, then the containers can be transported and filled, but the nest deforms under the weight of the containers causing misalignment and filling inaccuracies
Solution Approach 1:
The nest is divided into multiple individual container holders or compartments, each designed to support a single medical container. This segmentation distributes the weight and forces across separate structural elements rather than a single continuous tray, reducing overall deformation and maintaining alignment precision during filling operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The container holders are designed with asymmetric geometries that provide optimized support structures for each container position. This includes varying wall thicknesses, support leg configurations, and base geometries tailored to specific load requirements at different positions in the nest, thereby minimizing deformation under weight.
2Manufacturing precision
If the nest is made stiffer to resist deformation, then filling accuracy improves, but the complexity of the holding device increases
Solution Approach 1:
Rather than making the entire nest structure stiffer and more complex, the design segments the structure into multiple independent or semi-independent holders. Each holder is optimized for minimal deformation, and they can be manufactured separately and assembled, reducing overall manufacturing complexity while achieving the required precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The structure implements local quality by providing enhanced stiffness and support only where needed - specifically in the container holder regions that require precise alignment. Other portions of the nest structure can be less complex, optimizing the balance between precision and overall device complexity.
3Productivity
If multiple medical containers are held in a single nest, then transport efficiency improves, but the weight causes deflection and misalignment during filling
Solution Approach 1:
The nest is segmented into multiple independent container holders that can be designed with optimized weight distribution. This allows the structure to accommodate multiple containers for efficient transport while each segment is engineered to minimize deflection under its specific load, preventing misalignment during filling.
Solution Approach 2:
The container holders incorporate three-dimensional structural elements such as vertical support legs, tapered walls, and layered bases that provide strength and rigidity in the vertical load-bearing dimension while maintaining a compact footprint for efficient horizontal transport arrangement.
Data Source
AI summary
A holding device configured to support medical containers includes a supporting plate having a first surface, a second surface, a peripheral edge between the first surface and the second surface, and a plurality of openings through the supporting plate configured to receive the medical containers. The surfaces of the supporting plate include a peripheral lower portion extending inward from the peripheral edge; at least one upper portion enclosed by the peripheral lower portion; and at least one upwardly angled portion extending between the lower portion and the upper portion. The holding device further includes a plurality of chimneys protruding from the first surface and/or the second surface of the supporting plate at least partially enclosing the plurality of openings, such that the plurality of chimneys guide insertion of the medical containers into the plurality of openings.