Multi-compartment pharmaceutical vials

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9237985-B2
Application number	US-201313945499-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 18, 2013
Priority date	Jul 18, 2013
Publication date	Jan 19, 2016
Grant date	Jan 19, 2016

Abstract

Multi-compartment pharmaceutical vials are described. In some embodiments, a multi-compartment pharmaceutical vial includes: a multi-compartment pharmaceutical storage region including a bottom wall, at least one outer wall and at least one interior wall, the bottom wall, the at least one outer wall and the at least one interior wall forming a plurality of pharmaceutical storage compartments, each pharmaceutical storage compartment including an aperture positioned opposite to the bottom wall of the pharmaceutical storage region; and an access region attached to the pharmaceutical storage region, the access region including a plurality of conduits, each with a first end and a second end, wherein the first end of each conduit is connected to one aperture in a pharmaceutical storage compartment, and the second end of each conduit circumscribes an aperture positioned opposite to the bottom wall.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A multi-compartment pharmaceutical vial comprising:
a multi-compartment pharmaceutical storage region including a bottom wall, at least one outer wall and at least one interior wall, the bottom wall, the at least one outer wall and the at least one interior wall forming a plurality of pharmaceutical storage compartments, each pharmaceutical storage compartment including an aperture positioned opposite to the bottom wall of the pharmaceutical storage region; and
an access region attached to the pharmaceutical storage region, the access region including a plurality of conduits, each with a first end and a second end, wherein the first end of each conduit is connected to one aperture in a pharmaceutical storage compartment, and the second end of each conduit circumscribes an access aperture positioned opposite to the bottom wall;
at least one conduit seal configured to mate with the second end of at least one of the plurality of conduits; and
at least one cover separate and removable from the at least one conduit seal, the at least one cover being positioned over the at least one conduit seal and including an cover aperture positioned to expose at least part of the at least one conduit seal.

2. The multi-compartment pharmaceutical vial of claim 1 , wherein the multi-compartment pharmaceutical storage region and the access region are integrally sealed to each other.

3. The multi-compartment pharmaceutical vial of claim 1 , wherein the multi-compartment pharmaceutical storage region comprises:
four outer walls oriented to form a first substantially rectangular structure; and wherein the at least one interior wall includes a central wall positioned to divide the first substantially rectangular structure into two second substantially rectangular structures, and at least one spacing wall positioned to divide each of the second substantially rectangular structures into two separate pharmaceutical storage compartments with substantially rectangular structures.

4. The multi-compartment pharmaceutical vial of claim 1 , wherein the multi-compartment pharmaceutical storage region comprises:
four outer walls oriented to form a first substantially rectangular structure; and wherein the at least one interior wall is positioned to separate the first substantially rectangular structure into a plurality of pharmaceutical storage compartments with substantially rectangular structures.

5. The multi-compartment pharmaceutical vial of claim 1 , the plurality of pharmaceutical storage compartments comprise:
an even number of pharmaceutical storage compartments, arrayed as linear pairs.

6. The multi-compartment pharmaceutical vial of claim 1 , wherein the multi-compartment pharmaceutical storage region comprises:
a plurality of pharmaceutical storage compartments, each pharmaceutical storage compartment formed with a substantially cylindrical interior surface within the multi-compartment pharmaceutical storage region.

7. The multi-compartment pharmaceutical vial of claim 1 , wherein an outer diameter of the multi-compartment pharmaceutical storage region is greater than an outer diameter of the access region.

8. The multi-compartment pharmaceutical vial of claim 1 , wherein the access region comprises:
a rim structure at least partially circumscribing an external perimeter of the access region, the rim structure attached to the external perimeter of the access region.

9. The multi-compartment pharmaceutical vial of claim 1 , wherein the
second end of each conduit includes an enlarged terminal region positioned adjacent to the access aperture.

10. The multi-compartment pharmaceutical vial of claim 1 , further comprising
a fastener including a top edge region, a side edge region, and a bottom edge region, each of the regions including an inner face configured to reversibly mate with an outer surface of the access region.

11. The multi-compartment pharmaceutical vial of claim 1 , further comprising:
wherein the at least one cover includes at least one substantially planar and circular cover for the at least one conduit seal, the at least one cover including an upper surface and a lower surface;
a fastener including a top edge region including an inner surface configured to reversibly mate with the top surface of the cover, and a side edge region and a bottom edge region, each including an inner surface configured to reversibly mate with an outer surface of the access region;
a series of ratchet teeth attached to an outer edge of the at least one substantially planar and circular cover; and
at least one pawl attached to the inner surface of the fastener, the pawl configured to reversibly mate with the series of ratchet teeth, wherein the pawl is positioned to engage with the series of ratchet teeth and restrict rotation of the cover when the fastener and the at least one substantially planar and circular cover are in place adjacent to the multi-compartment pharmaceutical vial.

12. The multi-compartment pharmaceutical vial of claim 1 , further comprising:
wherein the at least one cover includes a plurality of overlapping planar structures, each including an upper surface and a lower surface, each planar structure including a distal edge; and
a fastener including a top edge region including an inner surface configured to reversibly mate with the top surface of the cover, and a side edge region and a bottom edge region, each including an inner surface configured to reversibly mate with an outer surface of the access region;
at least one ratchet tooth attached to the distal edge of each of the plurality of overlapping planar structures; and
at least one pawl attached to the inner surface of the fastener, the pawl configured to reversibly mate with each of the at least one ratchet tooth on each of the plurality of overlapping planar structures, wherein the pawl is positioned to engage with the each of the at least one ratchet tooth and restrict rotation of the cover when the fastener and the cover are in place adjacent to the multi-compartment pharmaceutical vial.

13. The multi-compartment pharmaceutical vial of claim 1 ,
wherein the at least one conduit seal is fabricated with a light-polarizing material at a surface location of the at least one conduit seal opposing the end of the conduit.

14. The multi-compartment pharmaceutical vial of claim 1 ,
wherein the at least one conduit seal is fabricated including material configured to visually indicate damage at a surface location of the at least one conduit seal opposing the end of the conduit.

15. The multi-compartment pharmaceutical vial of claim 1 , further comprising
a removable access tab including a first region positioned over one of the at least one conduit seal, and a second region configured to facilitate removal of the removable access tab.

16. A multi-compartment pharmaceutical vial comprising:
a multi-compartment pharmaceutical storage region, including a bottom wall, at least one outer wall, and at least one interior wall, the walls forming at least two pharmaceutical storage compartments, each of the at least two pharmaceutical storage compartments including an aperture at a position distal to the bottom wall;
an access region attached to the pharmaceutical storage region, the access region including a plurality of conduits with a first end and a second end, wherein the first end of each conduit is connected to one aperture in a pharmaceutical storage compartment, and wherein the second end of each conduit forms an access aperture positioned opposite to the bottom wall, the access region including an outer surface;

Assignees

• Tokitae Llc

Inventors

• Eckhoff Philip A
• Ishikawa Muriel Y
• Levine Orin
• Peterson Nels R
• Wood Jr Lowell L
• Wood Victoria Y H

Classifications

• A61J1/1425 Primary

  Snap-fit type · CPC title

• A61J1/2096

  Combination of a vial and a syringe for transferring or mixing their contents · CPC title

• A61J1/1418

  Threaded type · CPC title

• A61J1/1412

  Containers with closing means, e.g. caps · CPC title

• A61J1/065 Primary

  Rigid ampoules, e.g. glass ampoules · CPC title