Minimization of air ingress in solution containers

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016008223-A1
Application number	US-201514792744-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jul 7, 2015
Priority date	Jul 8, 2014
Publication date	Jan 14, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A medical solution packaging assembly comprising a medical solution container that houses a medical solution comprising a semi-permeable material including one or more surface that is at least partially permeable to air molecules and has low permeability to vapor molecules of the medical solution, wherein the medical solution container is configured to inflate beyond its original volume. The assembly further comprising a packaging comprising one or more surface within which the solution container resides; a compressing mechanism configured to apply external force onto at least one surface of the medical solution container or limit the volume to which the medical solution container inflates, wherein a volume of air ingress from an external environment of the medical solution container is less than that which would occur without the compressing mechanism.

First claim

The embodiments disclosed herein are for the purpose of providing a description of the present subject matter, and it is understood that the subject matter may be embodied in various other forms and combinations not shown in detail. Therefore, specific embodiments and features disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting the subject matter as defined in the accompanying claims.

1 . A medical solution packaging assembly comprising:
a medical solution container that houses a medical solution comprising a semi-permeable material including one or more surface that is at least partially permeable to air molecules and has low permeability to vapor molecules of the medical solution, wherein the medical solution container is configured to inflate beyond its original volume; packaging comprising one or more surface within which the medical solution container resides; a compressing mechanism configured to apply external force onto at least one surface of the medical solution container or limit the volume to which the medical solution container inflates, wherein a volume of air ingress fro an external environment of the medical solution container is less than that which would occur without the compressing mechanism.

2 . The medical solution packaging assembly of claim 1 , wherein the compressing mechanism includes at least one insert disposed between the solution container and a surface of the packaging.

3 . The medical solution packaging assembly of claim 1 , wherein the external force applied by the compressing mechanism onto the medical solution container results in a pressure value in the range of 10 to 57 torr.

4 . The medical solution packaging assembly of claim 1 , wherein the volume of air that ingresses into the solution container is 40% or less than what it otherwise would have been free-standing at a point of partial pressure equilibrium.

5 . The medical solution packaging assembly of claim 1 , wherein the insert includes a protrusion that contacts the solution container.

6 . The medical solution packaging assembly of claim 1 , wherein multiple tiers of solution containers are disposed within the packaging.

7 . The medical solution packaging assembly of claim 6 , wherein the solution containers are in a staggered orientation and one or more insert is disposed between two solution containers.

8 . A medical solution packaging assembly comprising:
a medical solution container that houses a medical solution comprising a semi-permeable material including one or ore surface that is at least partially permeable to air molecules and has low permeability to vapor molecules of the medical solution, wherein the medical solution container is configured to inflate beyond its original volume; a compressing mechanism configured to apply external force onto at least one surface of the medical solution container or limit the volume to which the medical solution container inflates, wherein the volume of air ingress from an external environment of the medical solution container is less than that which would occur without the compressing mechanism; wherein the compressing mechanism includes a band or wrap configured to at least partially wrap around a surface of the medical solution container and exert force upon it.

9 . The medical solution packaging assembly of claim 8 , wherein the external force applied by the compressing mechanism onto the medical solution container results in a pressure value in the range of 10 to 57 torr.

10 . The medical solution packaging assembly of claim 8 , wherein the volume of air ingress is 40% or less than what it otherwise would have been free-standing at a point of partial pressure equilibrium.

11 . The medical solution packaging assembly of claim 8 , wherein the compressing mechanism includes at least one frame disposed against one or more surface of the medical solution container.

12 . The medical solution packaging assembly of claim 8 , wherein the material of the band or wrap is elastomeric or shrink material.

13 . The medical solution packaging assembly of claim 8 , wherein the medical solution container comprises at least one of anticoagulant, saline, blood product additive solution, enteral solution, and parenteral solution used for apheresis or infusion procedures.

14 . A method of packaging an infusible medical solution container for apheresis or infusion products comprising:
providing packaging for transport or storage of an infusible medical solution container, wherein the packaging includes a plurality of walls and an inner open space for receiving at least one infusible medical solution container; providing a compressing, mechanism that is configured to apply force onto the at least one infusible medical solution container when placed in the inner open space with the infusible medical solution container: wherein air ingress from the exterior to the interior of the medical solution container is at least partially restricted by the force applied by the compressing mechanism.

15 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the compressing mechanism includes a protrusion configured to apply force onto the infusible medical solution container.

16 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the force applied by the compressing mechanism onto the medical solution container is in the range of 10 to 57 torr.

17 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the air ingress into the medical solution container is 40% or less than what it otherwise would have been free-standing at a point of partial pressure equilibrium.

18 . The method of claim 14 , wherein multiple tiers of solution containers are disposed within the inner open space.

19 . The method of claim 18 , wherein the solution containers are in a staggered orientation and at least one compressing mechanism indisposed between two of the solution containers.

20 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the infusible medical solution container comprises at least one of anticoagulant, saline, blood product additive solution, enteral solution and parenteral solution.

Assignees

• Fenwal Inc

Inventors

• Sandford Craig
• Calhoun Daryl
• Payton Robert

Classifications

• A61J1/16 Primary

  Holders for containers · CPC title

• A61M1/0277

  Frames constraining or supporting bags, e.g. during freezing · CPC title

• A61J1/14

  Details; Accessories therefor (A61J7/00 takes precedence; openers B65D, B67B7/00) · CPC title

• A61J1/10 Primary

  Bag-type containers · CPC title

• A61J1/1493

  Containers with shape retaining means, e.g. to support the structure of the container during emptying or filling · CPC title