Package making – Methods – With contents treating
Reexamination Certificate
2002-04-02
2004-08-17
Smith, Scott A. (Department: 3721)
Package making
Methods
With contents treating
C053S115000, C053S474000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06775957
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to the field of pharmaceutical packaging, and more particularly to inserting a resilient material into a container after a plurality of pills have been packaged therein.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Medications or vitamins are often conveniently provided in the form of pills, i.e., tablets or capsules packaged in a container, typically a bottle. Pills provide uniform dose size in a convenient form for administration. Pills may, however, be damaged due to rough handling of the bottle in transit. A solution to the handling problem has been practiced for many years by inserting a ball of cotton into the headspace of the bottle above the pills so that the pills are held under gentle pressure to prevent movement. While overcoming the potential damage problem, cotton has a drawback of being hydrophilic, thus tending to absorb moisture. If the cotton filler absorbs moisture from the pills, the pills could change chemically with a reduction from the intended amount of moisture and could be more easily, or spontaneously, cracked. Alternatively, if cotton already having a high moisture content is placed in a pill bottle, adverse effects of excess moisture in the pills could result. Cotton also has the drawback of being accidentally torn during the removal process. While it has been recognized that replacing cotton with a plastic material could overcome the problems indicated above, no commercially practical solution has been developed to date.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A hydrophobic, compressible, resilient, tube is advanced in flattened form from a roll supply to a cutter to be cut into desired lengths. Each cut length of flat tube is converted to a round cross sectional shape, inserted horizontally into a compressing cavity and axially compressed to compact its length. The compressed tube is inserted with its axis oriented horizontally into the headspace above a quantity of pills and below the neck of a container and allowed to expand. The expanded tube occupies the headspace and keeps the pills from movement when the container is handled.
REFERENCES:
patent: 2171572 (1939-09-01), Kelly
patent: 2412089 (1946-12-01), Kelly
patent: 2691473 (1954-10-01), Gantzer
patent: 2810245 (1957-10-01), Dimond
patent: 2817934 (1957-12-01), Dimond
patent: 2860464 (1958-11-01), Barthelemy
patent: 2895269 (1959-07-01), Lasko et al.
patent: 2895273 (1959-07-01), Lasko
patent: 3030748 (1962-04-01), Moses
patent: 3066460 (1962-12-01), Lakso
patent: 3137979 (1964-06-01), Lasko
patent: 3224157 (1965-12-01), Lasko
patent: 3280533 (1966-10-01), Hall
patent: 3537228 (1970-11-01), Cremieux
patent: 3810343 (1974-05-01), Palomo
patent: 3863795 (1975-02-01), Mills
patent: 4279351 (1981-07-01), Vertes
patent: 4460090 (1984-07-01), Paoletti
patent: 4805789 (1989-02-01), Lancesseur et al.
patent: 4890753 (1990-01-01), Duryee et al.
patent: 5096078 (1992-03-01), McQueeny
patent: 5411156 (1995-05-01), Reckamp
patent: 5709066 (1998-01-01), Prochaska et al.
patent: 5738234 (1998-04-01), Harrold
patent: 6389783 (2002-05-01), Segal
patent: 6505457 (2003-01-01), Grass et al.
patent: 265419 (1966-02-01), None
patent: 736979 (1955-09-01), None
patent: 832752 (1960-04-01), None
patent: 0628029 (1978-10-01), None
patent: 0763197 (1980-09-01), None
Chen Grant
Houatchanthara Saingeun
Axon Corporation
Durand Paul
Philips Michael R.
Smith Scott A.
LandOfFree
Pharmaceutical product protection method and apparatus does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Pharmaceutical product protection method and apparatus, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Pharmaceutical product protection method and apparatus will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-3338614