Syringe nest assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11517661-B2
Application number	US-202117356728-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 24, 2021
Priority date	Feb 8, 2016
Publication date	Dec 6, 2022
Grant date	Dec 6, 2022

Abstract

A syringe nest assembly includes a base having a first surface and an opposing second surface and a first plate movably coupled to the base. The base includes a plurality of nesting units extending upwardly away from the first surface of the base. Each nesting unit includes a hollow body having a first open end distal from the first surface of the base and an opposing second open end. The first plate has a first surface and an opposing second surface. The first plate includes a plurality of apertures extending from the first surface to the second surface of the first plate. Each aperture of the first plate is generally aligned with a respective nesting unit of the base.

First claim

We claim:

1. A method of centering two or more syringes in a syringe nest assembly, the syringe nest assembly comprising:
a base having a first surface and an opposing second surface, the base comprising a plurality of nesting units extending upwardly away from the first surface of the base, each nesting unit comprising a hollow body having an interior wall surface and an exterior wall surface, and
a first plate movably coupled to the base, the first plate having a generally planar form, a first surface and an opposing second surface, the first plate being slidable relative to the base along a longitudinal axis parallel to edges of the base, the first plate comprising a plurality of apertures extending from the first surface to the second surface of the first plate, each aperture of the first plate being generally aligned with a respective nesting unit of the base,
the method comprising:
positioning a first syringe in a first nesting unit and positioning a second syringe in a second nesting unit adjacent the first nesting unit, such that a barrel of each syringe extends through the hollow body of the respective nesting unit; and
sliding the first plate in a first direction relative to the base such that the first plate contacts each syringe and causes each syringe to move toward the interior wall surface of the respective nesting unit until each syringe contacts the interior wall surface of the respective nesting unit, thereby resulting in centering of the first and second syringes.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the hollow body of each nesting unit has a first open end distal from the first surface of the base and an opposing second open end.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the first and second syringes extend through adjacent apertures of the plurality of apertures.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein each nesting unit has a hexagonal hollow body.

5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the nesting units are arranged in a honeycomb pattern.

6. The method according to claim 1 , wherein each nesting unit has a cylindrical hollow body.

7. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the second surface of the first plate faces the first surface of the base.

8. The method according to claim 1 ,
wherein the base has a first edge and an opposing second edge,
wherein the first plate has a first edge and an opposing second edge, and
wherein, proximate the first edges, one of the base and the first plate includes an elongated slot and the other of the base and the first plate includes at least one protrusion configured to be slidably received within the elongated slot.

9. The method according to claim 8 , wherein the first plate includes the elongated slot and the base includes the at least one protrusion, and wherein the at least one protrusion is an outwardly protruding flange formed at the first open end of at least one of the nesting units proximate the first and second edges of the base.

10. The method according to claim 8 , wherein the base includes the elongated slot and the first plate includes the at least one protrusion, and wherein the at least one protrusion is a post extending downwardly away from the second face of the first plate toward the first face of the base.

11. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the first surface of the first plate faces the second surface of the base.

12. The method according to claim 1 ,
wherein the base has a first edge and an opposing second edge,
wherein the first plate has a first edge and an opposing second edge,
wherein, proximate the first edges, one of the base and the first plate includes an elongated slot, and
wherein the first edge of the other of the base and the first plate is configured to be slidably received within the elongated slot.

13. The method according to claim 12 , wherein the base includes the elongated slot.

14. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the syringe nest assembly further comprises a second plate movably coupled to the base, the second plate having a generally planar form, a first surface and an opposing second surface, the second plate comprising a plurality of apertures extending from the first surface to the second surface of the second plate, each aperture of the second plate being generally aligned with a respective nesting unit of the base and a respective aperture of the first plate.

15. The method according to claim 14 , wherein the first and second syringes extend through adjacent apertures of the plurality of apertures of the second plate.

16. The method according to claim 14 , the method further comprising sliding the second plate in a second direction opposite to the first direction while sliding the first plate in the first direction relative to the base.

17. The method according to claim 14 , wherein the first surface of the first plate faces the second surface of the base and wherein the first surface of the second plate faces the second surface of the first plate.

18. The method according to claim 17 ,
wherein the base has a first edge and an opposing second edge,
wherein the first plate has a first edge and an opposing second edge,
wherein the second plate has a first edge and an opposing second edge,
wherein the base includes an elongated slot proximate its first edge, and
wherein the first edge of the first plate and the first edge of the second plate are slidably received within the elongated slot.

19. A syringe nest comprising:
a flexible base having a first surface and an opposing second surface, the base comprising a plurality of nesting units extending upwardly away from the first surface of the base, each nesting unit comprising a hollow body having a first open end distal from the first surface of the base and an opposing second end, the base further comprising a notch formed at the second end of each nesting unit, each notch being configured to be in a closed position when no syringe is positioned in the nesting unit and each notch being configured to be in an open position when a syringe is positioned in the nesting unit, such that the syringe extends through the base when the notch is in the open position.

20. The syringe nest of claim 19 , wherein the base is formed of a thin film of polypropylene or of a thermoplastic elastomer bonded to the second end of the hollow body of each nesting unit.

Assignees

• West Pharmaceutical Services Inc

Inventors

• Evans Christopher
• Costello Brian
• Protasiewicz Raymond
• Gieda Christopher

Classifications

• B32B2250/02

  2 layers · CPC title

• B32B7/08

  by mechanical means · CPC title

• B32B3/12

  characterised by a layer of regularly- arranged cells, e.g. a honeycomb structure · CPC title

• A61M5/008 Primary

  Racks for supporting syringes or needles (A61M5/001 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B32B2535/00

  Medical equipment, e.g. bandage, prostheses or catheter · CPC title