Method of packaging multi-monodose containers

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10077122-B2
Application number	US-201514963768-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 9, 2015
Priority date	Jun 11, 2015
Publication date	Sep 18, 2018
Grant date	Sep 18, 2018

Abstract

Methods are described for packaging a foldable container including covering a multi-monodose container in an expanded configuration with a hermetically-sealable overwrap, the multi-monodose container including a row of interconnected monodose pharmaceutical vials, each of the monodose pharmaceutical vials enclosing at least one pharmaceutical agent, the interconnected monodose pharmaceutical vials connected to one another by one or more articulating joints sufficiently flexible to form a folded configuration of the multi-monodose container; exerting a force on at least one of the monodose pharmaceutical vials; bending the one or more articulating joints to form the folded configuration of the multi-monodose container in response to the exerted force; and sealing the hermetically-sealable overwrap to form a hermetic seal around the folded configuration of the multi-monodose container.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method of packaging a foldable container, comprising:
covering a multi-monodose container in an expanded configuration with a hermetically-sealable overwrap, the multi-monodose container including
a row of interconnected monodose pharmaceutical vials, each of the monodose pharmaceutical vials polygonal in horizontal cross-section and enclosing a dose of at least one pharmaceutical agent; and
one or more articulating joints connecting each of the monodose pharmaceutical vials in the row of interconnected monodose pharmaceutical vials to at least one adjacent monodose pharmaceutical vial, the one or more articulating joints sufficiently flexible to reversibly mate a planar outer surface of each of the monodose pharmaceutical vials with a planar outer surface of the at least one adjacent monodose pharmaceutical vial to form a folded configuration of the multi-monodose container, wherein the expanded configuration of the multi-monodose container has a first rectangular packing cross-sectional area;

exerting a force on at least one of the monodose pharmaceutical vials in the row of interconnected monodose pharmaceutical vials, the exerted force directed toward the at least one adjacent monodose pharmaceutical vial;
bending the one or more articulating joints to form the folded configuration of the multi-monodose container in response to exerting the force on the at least one of the monodose pharmaceutical vials in the row of interconnected monodose pharmaceutical vials, wherein the folded configuration of the multi-monodose container has a second rectangular packing cross-sectional area that is smaller than the first rectangular packing cross-sectional area of the expanded configuration; and
sealing the hermetically-sealable overwrap to form a hermetic seal around the folded configuration of the multi-monodose container therein.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein covering the multi-monodose container in an expanded configuration with the hermetically-sealable overwrap comprises:
inserting the multi-monodose container in an expanded configuration through an opening defined by the hermetically-sealable overwrap.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein covering the multi-monodose container in an expanded configuration with the hermetically-sealable overwrap comprises:
positioning the multi-monodose container in an expanded configuration between a first layer of hermetically-sealable overwrap and a second layer of hermetically-sealable overwrap; and sealing together one or more edges of the first layer and the second layer of the hermetically-sealable overwrap.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein covering the multi-monodose container in an expanded configuration with the hermetically-sealable overwrap comprises:
covering the multi-monodose container in an expanded configuration with a hermetically-sealable foil laminate.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein covering the multi-monodose container in an expanded configuration with the hermetically-sealable overwrap comprises:
covering the multi-monodose container in an expanded configuration with at least one of a gas-impermeable overwrap, a vapor-impermeable overwrap, or a light-impermeable overwrap.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein covering the multi-monodose container in an expanded configuration with the hermetically-sealable overwrap comprises:
covering the multi-monodose container in an expanded configuration with an electrostatic discharge-protective overwrap.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the multi-monodose container is formed by a blow-fill-seal manufacturing process.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the dose of the at least one pharmaceutical agent comprises:
a dose of at least one vaccine.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the articulating joint is frangible.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein exerting the force on the at least one of the monodose pharmaceutical vials in the row of interconnected monodose pharmaceutical vials comprises:
exerting the force on the at least one of the monodose pharmaceutical vials in the row of interconnected monodose pharmaceutical vials with at least one mechanical probe.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein exerting the force on the at least one of the monodose pharmaceutical vials in the row of interconnected monodose pharmaceutical vials comprises:
exerting the force on the at least one of the monodose pharmaceutical vials in the row of interconnected monodose pharmaceutical vials with pressurized gas.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein exerting the force on the at least one of the monodose pharmaceutical vials in the row of interconnected monodose pharmaceutical vials comprises:
exerting a force on a first monodose pharmaceutical vial at a first end of the row of interconnected monodose pharmaceutical vials towards a first adjacent monodose pharmaceutical vial and exerting a force on a second monodose pharmaceutical vial at a second end of the row of interconnected monodose pharmaceutical vials toward a second adjacent monodose pharmaceutical vial.

13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising simultaneously exerting the force on the first monodose pharmaceutical vial at the first end of the row of monodose pharmaceutical vials towards the first adjacent monodose pharmaceutical vial and exerting the force on the second monodose pharmaceutical vial at the second end of the row of monodose pharmaceutical vials toward a second adjacent monodose pharmaceutical vial.

14. The method of claim 12 , further comprising sequentially exerting the force on the first monodose pharmaceutical vial at the first end of the row of monodose pharmaceutical vials towards the first adjacent monodose pharmaceutical vial and exerting the force on the second monodose pharmaceutical vial at the second end of the row of monodose pharmaceutical vials toward a second adjacent monodose pharmaceutical vial.

15. The method of claim 1 , comprising:
evacuating at least a portion of air from around the folded configuration of the multi-monodose container covered by the hermetically-sealable overwrap; and
sealing the hermetically-sealable overwrap to form a hermetic seal around the folded configuration of the multi-monodose container therein.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein evacuating the at least a portion of the air from around the folded configuration of the multi-monodose container covered by the hermetically-sealable overwrap comprises:
inserting a flow conduit connected to a vacuum source into an opening defined by the hermetically-sealable overwrap;
pressure sealing a portion of the hermetically-sealable overwrap around the inserted flow conduit to form a pocket around the folded configuration of the multi-monodose container; and
evacuating the at least a portion of the air from the pocket around the folded configuration of the multi-monodose container.

17. The method of claim 1 , comprising:
injecting an inert gas around the folded configuration of the multi-monodose container covered by the hermetically-sealable overwrap; and
evacuating at least a portion of the injected inert gas from around the folded configuration of the multi-monodose container covered by the hermetically-sealable overwrap.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein evacuating the at least a portion of the injected inert gas from around the folded configuration of the multi-monodose container covered by the hermetically-sealable overwrap comprises:
inserting a flow conduit connected to a vacuum source into an opening defined by the hermetically-sealable overwrap;

Assignees

• Tokitae Llc

Inventors

• Chou Fong-Li
• Eckhoff Philip A
• Fowler Lawrence Morgan
• Liu Shieng
• Natarajan Krishnan
• Peterson Nels R
• Wood Jr Lowell L

Classifications

• B65B31/00

  Packaging articles or materials under special atmospheric or gaseous conditions; Adding propellants to aerosol containers · CPC title

• A61J2200/70

  Device provided with specific sensor or indicating means · CPC title

• B65B5/067

  in bags (B65B5/061 - B65B5/065 take precedence) · CPC title

• B65D1/095

  made of flexible material · CPC title

• A61J1/16

  Holders for containers · CPC title