U.S. patent application number 10/271107 was filed with the patent office on 2003-10-30 for collection assembly.
This patent application is currently assigned to Becton, Dickinson and Company. Invention is credited to Kim, Yong Jae.
Application Number | 20030200727 10/271107 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 29215903 |
Filed Date | 2003-10-30 |
United States Patent
Application |
20030200727 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Kim, Yong Jae |
October 30, 2003 |
Collection assembly
Abstract
A packaged liquid-filled plastic tube is provided to achieve a
desirably long shelf life. The tube is formed from PET,
polypropylene or otherknown plastics that exhibit high liquid
permeability. A liquid additive of a specified volume,
concentration and/or solubility is placed in the tube and the tube
is sealed. Loss of liquid through the permeable tube is prevented
by a moisture barrier film that is sealed around the tube. The
moisture barrier film maintains a high relative humidity adjacent
said tube and substantially minimizes transport of liquid vapor
through the plastic of the tube.
Inventors: |
Kim, Yong Jae; (Somerset,
NJ) |
Correspondence
Address: |
CASELLA & HESPOS LLP
274 MADISON AVENUE
SUITE 1703
NEW YORK
NY
10016-0701
US
|
Assignee: |
Becton, Dickinson and
Company
Franklin Lakes
NJ
|
Family ID: |
29215903 |
Appl. No.: |
10/271107 |
Filed: |
October 11, 2002 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
|
|
|
|
|
|
Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
60376149 |
Apr 26, 2002 |
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
53/449 ; 206/438;
206/484; 53/469; 53/471 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B01L 3/505 20130101;
A61J 1/06 20130101; B01L 3/5082 20130101; B65D 77/003 20130101;
A61J 1/00 20130101; B01L 2200/142 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
53/449 ; 53/469;
53/471; 206/438; 206/484 |
International
Class: |
B65B 011/58; B65B
003/04; B65B 007/28 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. Packaging for liquids of specified volume, concentration and
solubility, said packaging comprising: at least one plastic
container having a closed bottom, an open top and a side wall
extending therebetween, said liquid of said specified volume,
concentration and solubility being placed in said container, a
closure sealingly engaged with said open top of said container for
retaining said liquid therein, a moisture barrier film completely
surrounding said container for preventing vapor transport across
said film and maintaining a selected relative humidity between said
container and said film for substantially preventing permeation of
said liquid from said container.
2. The packaging of claim 1, wherein said container is formed from
polyethylene terephthalate.
3. The packaging of claim 1, wherein said container is formed from
polypropylene.
4. The packaging of claim 1, wherein said film is selected from the
group consisting of foil laminations, metalized polyesters, SiOx
coated polyesters, polyester-polyoefilins and PVDC.
5. The packaging of claim 1, comprising a single sheet of said film
folded around said container, registered edges of said sheet being
secured to one another.
6. The packaging of claim 1, comprising first and second sheets of
said film having registered edges secured in face-to-face
relationship with one another entirely around said container.
7. The packaging of claim 1, wherein said container is a tube.
8. A method for packaging liquids to maintain a specified volume,
concentration and solubility, said method comprising: providing a
plastic container having a closed bottom, an open top and a side
wall extending therebetween; depositing in said plastic container
said liquid of said specified volume, concentration and solubility;
sealingly enganging a closure with said open top of said container
for retaining said liquid therein; providing a moisture barrier
film completely around said plastic container and said closure for
preventing vapor transport across said film and maintaining a
selected relative humidity between said container and said film for
substantially preventing permeation of said liquid from said
container.
9. The method of claim 8, wherein said step of providing a
container comprises providing a container formed from polyethylene
terephthalate.
10. The method of claim 8, wherein step of providing a container
comprises providing a container formed from polypropyelene.
11. The method of claim 8, wherein said step of providing a
moisture barrier film comprises providing a moisture barrier film
selected from the group consisting of foil laminations, metalized
polyesters, SiOx coated polyesters, polyester-polyoefilins and
PVDC.
12. The method of claim 8, wherein said step of completely
surrounding said container with a moisture barrier film comprises
folding a single sheet of said film around said container such that
edges of said single sheet are substantially registered with one
another and securing opposed faces of said sheet to one another
adjacent said registered edges.
13. The method of claim 8, wherein said step of completely
surrounding said container with the moisture barrier film comprises
placing said container between first and second sheets of said
moisture barrier film and securing opposed faces of said first and
second sheets to one another.
14. The method of claim 8, wherein said step of sealingly engaging
a closure with said open top of said container comprises providing
a closure formed from a thermoplastic elastomer and urging said
closure into said open top of said container such that said
thermoplastic elastomer sealingly engages said side wall of said
container adjacent said open top.
15. The method of claim 8, wherein said step of sealingly engaging
a closure with said open top of said container comprises providing
a closure formed from a thermoset resin and urging said closure
into said open top of said container such that said thermoplastic
elastomer sealingly engages said side wall of said container
adjacent said open top.
Description
RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application is a non-provisional application of U.S.
Provisional Patent Appl. No. 60/376,149 filed Apr. 26, 2002.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] The subject invention relates to plastic tubes that have
been prefilled with controlled volumes and concentrations of
liquid, and that are packaged to retain the liquid volume and
concentration during storage.
[0004] 2. Description of the Prior Art
[0005] Many medical procedures require a specified dose of a drug
to be administered to a patient. Drugs that are administered
intravenously must be in a liquid form. The liquid must be of known
volume and concentration to ensure proper dosage.
[0006] Some drugs can be stored for considerable periods of time in
a liquid form. Other drugs, however, must be stored in a powdered
form, and then must be mixed with a specified volume of a liquid
additive shortly prior to administration to the patient.
Efficiencies can be achieved if the specified volume of the liquid
drug and/or the specified volume of the liquid additive is
available in a prefilled tube or other such container. Prefilled
containers avoid the need for careful volummetric measuring
immediately prior to administering the drug, and hence minimize the
chance for error.
[0007] Plastic tubes and other plastic containers are lightweight,
relatively inexpensive and relatively unbreakable. As a result,
plastic tubes are used for medical applications whenever possible.
However, plastic tubes have an inherent permeability to water and
other liquids. This high liquid permeability of plastics can
significantly affect the volume, concentration and solubility of
liquids that are stored for a long period of time in a plastic
container. Containers filled with a liquid drug or with a liquid
additive for a powdered drug desirably should have a relatively
long shelf life. As a result, plastic containers are considered
unacceptable for long term storage of liquid drugs or liquid
additives for drugs.
[0008] Glass is substantially impermeable to water and other
liquids. As a result, liquid drugs or liquid additives for drugs
typically are stored in glass tubes or other glass containers.
However, glass is much more breakable than plastic. A glass tube
can be broken easily while the tube is being manipulated to access
the liquid stored therein. Additionally, a small round glass tube
can be dropped inadvertently and shattered inadvertently. Sharp
edges of a broken glass tube can cut a patient or health care
worker, and may create an open wound that can lead to disease
transmission. Fragile glass containers also require protective
packaging that typically increases storage space requirements and
that may add to costs.
[0009] The prior art has included attempts to minimize or offset
the loss of liquid from plastic tubes. For example, one prior art
attempt has bulk packaged a plurality of plastic tubes in a plastic
tub. A moisture source also has been placed in the tub to provide a
higher vapor content surrounding the bulk packaged tubes, and
thereby to impede the outflow of liquid from the tubes. This prior
art bulk packaging complicates the packaging process and adds to
cost and storage space requirements. Furthermore, vapor from the
moisture source is transported through the permeable walls of the
plastic tub.
[0010] The prior art also includes tubes that are laminated with
foil to prevent liquid loss. Foil lamination of tubes adds
significantly to the tube manufacturing complexity and adds to tube
manufacturing cost.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0011] The subject invention is directed to a plastic container in
which a liquid drug or a liquid additive solution for a drug has
been placed. The plastic container may be formed from a known
plastic material, such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET),
polypropylene or other plastic material that exhibits liquid
permeability. The container may be a tube of prior art
construction, and may include a closed bottom, an open top and a
continuous side wall extending therebetween. A closure may be
securely mounted to the container for closing the open top, and
thereby preventing spillage of the liquid drug or the liquid
additive stored in the container.
[0012] The subject invention further includes packaging formed from
a high moisture barrier material that completely surrounds the
container or that completely surrounds a plurality of such
containers. The high moisture barrier material may be a film formed
from a foil lamination, a metalized polyester, SiOx coated
polyesters, polyester-polyoefilins, PVDC or the like. This high
moisture barrier material may be a sheet folded around one or more
plastic containers of a liquid drug or liquid additive. Edge
regions of the sheet then may be sealed in face-to-face engagement
with other areas on the sheet. Alternatively a container may be
placed between two sheets of high moisture barrier material, and
edge regions of the sheets may be sealed. The high moisture barrier
packaging material can impede the rate of water vapor transport
across the plastic material from which the container is formed by
providing and maintaining a high relative humidity environment
around the container and inside the package. This enables the
volume, concentration and solubility of the liquid in the container
to be controlled, and enables a longer shelf life for the liquid
therein.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0013] FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a liquid-containing plastic
tube packaged in accordance with the subject invention.
[0014] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 2-2 in
FIG. 1.
[0015] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view similar to FIG. 2, but
showing an alternate package.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0016] A package in accordance with the subject invention is
identified generally by the numeral 10 in FIGS. 1 and 2. Package 10
contains a tube 12 formed from a plastic material, such as
polyethylene terephthalate (PET) or polypropylene. Tube 12 includes
a closed bottom 14, an open top 16, and a cylindrical side wall 18
extending therebetween. A liquid 20 is disposed in tube 12 as shown
in FIG. 2. Liquid 20 may be a liquid additive of a specified
volume, concentration and solubility that is intended for mixing
with a non-liquid drug and for subsequent administration to a
patient. Alternatively, liquid 20 may be a liquid drug.
[0017] Liquid 20 is sealingly retained in tube 12 by a closure 22.
Closure 22 comprises a thermoplastic elastomer or a thermoset resin
material that is sufficiently deformable and resilient for secure
sealing engagement with side wall 18 of tube 12. Closure 22 may
further include a more rigid plastic structure to which the
thermoplastic elastomer or thermoset resin is secured to enable
closure 22 to be placed in and removed from tube 12 with ease.
[0018] The plastic material of tube 12 is inherently permeable to
water. Water vapor permeation through the plastic of tube 12 has
the potential for affecting the volume, concentration or solubility
of liquid additive 20 stored in tube 12. To substantially minimize
vapor transport through the plastic of tube 12, package 10
comprises a high moisture barrier film 26 that completely and
relatively closely surrounds tube 12. Film 26 may be a foil
lamination comprising a substrate formed from a metallic foil, such
as aluminum, and at least one layer formed from a plastic material
that is readily sealable. The foil lamination may include an outer
layer that is well suited to printing indicia to identify the
specific liquid additive in tube 12. Film 26 alternatively may be a
metalized polyester, a SiOx coated polyester, a
polyester-polyoefilin or PVDC, all of which are substantially
impermeable to water, particularly in comparison to the PET or
polypropylene from which tube 12 is formed.
[0019] Film 26 of package 10 may define an envelope formed from a
single sheet that is folded at fold region 28 to closely surround
tube 12. Adjacent registered edges 30 may be bonded in face-to-face
relationship as shown in FIG. 2. Alternatively, package 10 may be
formed from two separate sheets of film 26a and 26b as shown in
FIG. 3. Sheets 26a and 26b may originally be in strip form. Tube 12
with liquid 20 therein may be placed on a lower sheet of film 26a,
which may be part of a strip moving longitudinally along a
conveying apparatus. Upper sheet of film 26b may be part of a
second strip that is fed into juxtaposed relationship to the strip
defining lower sheet of film 26a. The lower and upper sheets 26a
and 26b may be sealed along opposed side edges 30a, and may
subsequently be sealed and cut between adjacent tubes to form seals
32. In this embodiment, the lower and upper sheets of film 26a and
26b may be formed from different materials. For example, a lower
sheet of film 26a may be a foil lamination having an only upper
layer of a plastic material that will bond well with a lower
plastic layer on upper sheet 26b. Upper sheet 26b, however, may
also include an upper laminated layer that is well suited to
receiving printed indicia.
* * * * *