Pharmaceutical Container Positioning Assembly for Tilt-Free Filling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing container positioning systems for pharmaceutical and cosmetic compositions suffer from issues such as tilting, varying fill heights, damage to fill needles, and contamination during filling due to containers with varying diameters, leading to inefficiencies and instability.
Innovation Solution
The assembly comprises a first structure and a further structure with aligned receptacles and protrusions that allow for precise positioning and stabilization of containers with non-uniform diameters, ensuring minimal tilt and reduced contamination, while facilitating easy insertion and removal, and enabling faster filling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If containers with varying diameters are accommodated in nests using maximum diameter for dimensioning, then all container sizes can be accommodated, but containers tilt during filling causing varying fill heights and damage to fill needles
Solution Approach 1:
The nest is divided into multiple receptacles, each with specific geometric features (ribs or projections) that segment the receptacle interior into multiple positioning zones. This segmentation allows containers of different diameters to be accommodated in different zones, preventing tilting while maintaining adaptability across container size variations.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the receptacle interior are given different geometric qualities through ribs or projections. These local structural variations create specific positioning characteristics for different container diameters, ensuring that each container type is held in the optimal position for consistent filling without tilting.
2Stability of the object's composition
If receptacles have ribs or projections extending into the interior to prevent tilting, then container positioning improves, but the maximum diameter of containers must be reduced to fit between ribs
Solution Approach 1:
The receptacle interior is segmented into multiple zones by ribs or projections, with each zone designed to accommodate specific container diameter ranges. This segmentation allows the nest to handle a broader range of container sizes while maintaining stable positioning for each size category.
Solution Approach 2:
The nest structure with multiple receptacles containing ribs or projections serves multiple functions simultaneously: it provides stable positioning for various container diameters, accommodates a wide range of container sizes, and enables consistent filling operations. This multi-functional design resolves the trade-off between stability and adaptability.
3Ease of manufacture
If containers are positioned in nests with fixed geometry, then manufacturing is simple, but filling speed is reduced due to positioning issues and needle damage
Solution Approach 1:
The nest structure is segmented into multiple receptacles with integrated ribs or projections, creating a modular design that is relatively simple to manufacture while providing precise container positioning. This segmentation enables faster filling by preventing tilting and needle damage without requiring complex manufacturing processes.
Data Source
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AI summary
An assembly comprising a first structure and a further structure, wherein a. the first structure comprises a first plurality of receptacles that are adapted and arranged for at least partially accommodating a plurality of containers, and that have a first end and a further end, opposite the first end; b. the further structure i. comprises a further plurality of receptacles that are adapted and arranged for at least partially accommodating the plurality of containers, ii. has a first surface and a further surface, opposite the first surface, iii. comprises A. either a first plurality of protrusions extending from the first surface, or a further plurality of protrusions extending from the further surface, or both, B. wherein the first plurality of protrusions, the further plurality of protrusions, or both, are adapted and arranged to exert a force along a further direction on the containers when said containers are being inserted into and/or removed from the further structure along a first direction, wherein I. the first direction is perpendicular to the first surface of the further structure, and II. an angle α between the first direction and the further direction is such that α > 0°; c. the first structure and the further structure are adapted and arranged to be positioned such that an average distance between the further ends of the first plurality of receptacles and the first surface of the further structure is less than 5 cm, and the first plurality of receptacles is at least partially aligned with the further plurality of receptacles.