Transport unit and packaging structure for transporting and storing a plurality of containers for substances for pharmaceutical, medical or cosmetic uses

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11548687-B2
Application number	US-201916670393-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 31, 2019
Priority date	Oct 31, 2018
Publication date	Jan 10, 2023
Grant date	Jan 10, 2023

Abstract

A transport unit for a packaging structure for a plurality of containers for substances for pharmaceutical, medical or cosmetic uses includes a tray with a plurality of seats for positioning the containers and a planar inlay part for covering the containers positioned in the seats of the tray. The inlay part is configured to cover the containers positioned in the seats and at the same time to be received completely in the tray, without protruding above an upper edge of the tray. A plurality of depressions corresponding to the seats of the tray are formed in the inlay part, in order to position the containers at their two ends lying opposite each other. A gap is formed at least partially between the inlay part, received in the tray, and side walls of the tray.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A transport unit for a packaging structure for a plurality of containers for substances for pharmaceutical, medical or cosmetic uses, the transport unit comprising:
a tray with a plurality of seats configured to position containers; and
a planar inlay part configured to cover the containers positioned in the seats of the tray and at the same time to be received completely in the tray without protruding above an upper edge of the tray, the inlay part having a plurality of depressions corresponding, in a one-to-one manner, to the seats of the tray formed therein, in order to position the containers at their two ends lying opposite each other, the plurality of depressions each having an absence of a through-hole, wherein a gap is formed at least partially between the inlay part received in the tray and side walls of the tray, the inlay part being configured to be received loosely with slight lateral play in the tray and thereby to form the gap.

2. The transport unit of claim 1 , wherein the seats of the tray are arranged in a regular arrangement and are formed by circumferential side walls, of which a height is less than an axial length of the containers, and the depressions of the inlay part are formed by circumferential side walls of comparatively small height, such that, in a central height region between the tray and the inlay part, a free space is formed which is free of guiding or positioning devices for guiding or positioning the containers.

3. The transport unit of claim 2 , wherein a height of the free space, which is free of guiding or positioning devices, is at least 40% of an overall height of the tray.

4. The transport unit of claim 2 , wherein the circumferential side walls of the seats of the tray have a beveled configuration, wherein a minimum diameter of the seats of the tray is slightly greater than a maximum external diameter at an upper end of the containers that are to be received, so as to prevent the upper ends of the containers from becoming jammed in the seats of the tray.

5. The transport unit of claim 2 , wherein a plurality of axial ribs are formed, at a distance from one another, on the circumferential side walls of the seats of the tray, which ribs protrude radially inwards into the seats, wherein a minimum opening width between the ribs is slightly greater than a maximum external diameter at upper ends of the containers that are to be received, so as to prevent the upper ends of the containers from becoming jammed in the seats of the tray.

6. The transport unit of claim 1 , wherein the seats of the tray are of an overall cylindrical configuration, wherein at least two projections are formed on a base of a respective seat, on which projections of a widened upper edge of the respective container bears at a distance from the base, such that gas or vapor can flow into a filling opening of a container positioned in the seat.

7. The transport unit of claim 1 , wherein circumferential side walls of the seats are adjoined by circumferential side walls which are of a beveled configuration in order to form frustoconical guide portions which are adapted to an outer contour of the containers to be received, in such a way that shoulder portions or cylindrical side walls of the containers are received with slight radial play.

8. The transport unit of claim 7 , wherein further insertion bevels are formed at upper ends of the side walls of the frustoconical guide portions, wherein the upper ends of the side walls of adjacent seats are connected to each other via flat, annular connecting portions which collectively lie in one plane.

9. The transport unit of claim 1 , wherein the depressions of the inlay part are formed by circumferential side walls, wherein a minimum diameter of the depressions of the inlay part is slightly greater than a maximum external diameter at a lower end of the containers that are to be received, so as to prevent the lower ends of the containers from becoming jammed in the depressions of the inlay part.

10. The transport unit of claim 1 , wherein a free space is formed between the inlay part and the seats of the tray, the free space being free of guiding or positioning devices for guiding or positioning the containers.

11. The transport unit of claim 1 , wherein at least one indentation is formed at an edge of the inlay part, wherein the edge of the inlay part is grippable in order to withdraw it from the tray.

12. The transport unit of claim 11 , wherein the at least one indentation is formed in a corner region of the inlay part, and wherein corner regions of the tray are formed as rounded corner regions.

13. The transport unit of claim 1 , wherein a plurality of portions with depressions or indentations are formed along an edge of the inlay part, wherein an outer contour of the inlay part is adapted to an inner contour of the tray, at its upper edge, such that the inlay part is received loosely and with slight lateral play in the tray when it bears on the containers positioned in the tray.

14. The transport unit of claim 13 , wherein the edge of the inlay part runs in a straight line along longitudinal sides of the inlay part, and the plurality of portions with depressions or indentations are formed along a transverse side or along two mutually opposite transverse sides of the inlay part.

15. The transport unit of claim 1 , wherein the upper edge of the tray is of a flat and circumferential form, and the upper edge is adjoined to an outside of an upper side wall which protrudes perpendicularly or substantially perpendicularly from the upper edge towards a lower end of the tray, in order to jointly form, with the upper edge and the inner side wall, a U-shaped and circumferential holding seat.

16. The transport unit of claim 15 , wherein at least one of a plurality of first projections or depressions or a plurality of second projections or depressions are formed on the upper side wall along a transverse side of the tray or along two mutually opposite transverse sides of the tray, in order to permit detection of an orientation or position of the tray by sensors.

17. The transport unit of claim 15 , wherein at least one of a plurality of first projections or depressions or a plurality of second projections or depressions are formed on the upper side wall along a longitudinal side of the tray or along two mutually opposite longitudinal sides of the tray, in order to permit detection of an orientation or position of the tray by sensors.

18. The transport unit of claim 1 , wherein at least one set-back portion is formed along the upper edge of the tray, in order to permit gripping of a cover placed on the upper edge.

19. A packaging structure for containers for substances for pharmaceutical, medical or cosmetic uses, comprising:
a transport unit holding a plurality of containers, the transport unit comprising:
a tray with a plurality of seats in which the containers are positioned, the containers being received upside down in the seats of the tray; and
a planar inlay part configured to cover the containers positioned in the seats of the tray and at the same time to be received completely in the tray without protruding above an upper edge of the tray, the inlay part having a plurality of depressions corresponding, in a one-to-one manner, to the seats of the tray formed therein, in order to position the containers at their two ends lying opposite each other, the plurality of depressions each having an absence of a through-hole, wherein a gap is formed at least partially between the inlay part received in

Assignees

• Schott Schweiz Ag

Inventors

• Kusogullari Levent
• Hilber David

Classifications

• B65D19/38

  Details or accessories · CPC title

• B65D2519/00815

  on the pallet · CPC title

• B65D25/10

  Devices to locate articles in containers {(for protecting articles from mechanical damage B65D81/02)} · CPC title

• B65D19/40 Primary

  Elements for spacing platforms from supporting surface · CPC title

• A61J1/16

  Holders for containers · CPC title