Dispensing – Collapsible wall-type container – Plural container and/or compartment
Reexamination Certificate
1999-12-13
2001-06-19
Jacyna, J. Casimer (Department: 3751)
Dispensing
Collapsible wall-type container
Plural container and/or compartment
C222S541900
Reexamination Certificate
active
06247617
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a container for dispensing separately housed compositions, and more particularly to a single use container for dispensing sterile compositions.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The field of packaging systems which store a single dosage of medicated compositions have become of importance and interest in the pharmaceutical industry. There are many such devices, and recently interest has focused on those applications in which two or more ingredients and/or diluents are kept separate from one another in a single container, such as in a multi-chambered container. Prepackaging of specific doses or quantities is important to save time during the application of medicines or nutritional compositions which need to be mixed promptly and in precise ratios and administered in accurate dosages.
Potent drugs which rapidly deteriorate when mixed together invariably require that they be housed separately. To facilitate the accurate and timely dispensing of the needed drug, single dosage containers having a plurality of separately stored active components and/or diluents are particularly advantageous. Moreover, single use containers tend to facilitate the sterile administration of medication by eliminating the potential contamination often associated with multiple dose containers.
Devices providing separate compartments in a single container for separately storing different medicinal components are described, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,545,606 to Larkin and 5,207,509 to Herbert. These containers, however, require elaborate operation and additional external devices for their use. Moreover, these containers store multiple dosages which, upon repeated dispensing, may lead to contamination of the contents.
Multicomponent container systems which prevent users from only dispensing one component is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,881,869 to Hudson. Conventional devices, however, suffer from the drawback in that they do not recognize contamination can potentially occur during dispensing of the components.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,244,120 and 5,269,441 both to O'Meara disclose dual chamber medicant dispensers. These devices are deficient in not being able to either accurately deliver the entire contents of the container or effectively prevent the contents of the container from contacting a non-sterile surface.
Accordingly, a continuing need exists for a single-use container that separately stores sterile compositions which can be easily and accurately dispensed from the container. A further continuing need exists for a container that can dispense the contents thereof without contamination being caused by contact with non-sterile surfaces of the container.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An advantage of the present invention is a single use container for accurately dispensing separately housed sterile compositions which prevents contact with non-sterile surfaces.
Additional advantages and features of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows and in part will become apparent to those having ordinary skill in the art upon examination of the following or may be learned from the practice of the invention. The advantages of the invention may be realized and obtained as particularly pointed out in the appended claims.
According to the present invention, the foregoing and other advantages are achieved in part by a single use container for dispensing separately housed sterile compositions and for minimizing, or all together avoiding, contact of the sterile compositions with a non-sterile surface of the container. In accordance with the present invention, the container comprises: a first chamber within the container for housing a first sterile composition having a first angled channel for directing the first sterile composition from the first chamber and a second chamber within the container for housing a second sterile composition having a second angled channel for directing the second sterile composition from the second chamber, wherein the first and second angled channels are directed toward each other.
In accordance with the present invention, the first and second angled channels are so sized and angled with respect to each other as to minimize or avoid contact of the escaping sterile compositions with any non-sterile surface of the container. In an embodiment of the present invention, the angled channels form an angle of less than about 180 degrees, e.g., no greater than about 60 degrees.
The chambers of the present invention house free flowing sterile compositions. The chambers can individually hold a volume of about 0.25 cubic centimeters (cc) to about 10 cc and can store a pharmaceutically active composition in one chamber and a pharmaceutically acceptable diluent in another chamber, or two or more pharmaceutically acceptable compositions in two or more chambers.
The container further comprises a plurality of tear-off solid closures sealing the angled channels to prevent the sterile compositions from escaping from their respective chambers and a tab portion joining the plurality of tear-off solid closures. In practicing the invention, removing the tab portion causes all of the solid closures to be removed in a single action thereby assuring opening all of the chambers. Removing the tab portion further permits the sterile compositions housed in their respective chambers to escape through their respective angled channels and combine at a point distal from the container, wherein the first and second angled channels form an angle which prevents the combined compositions from substantially contacting an outer, non-sterile surface of the container and prevents contamination to the sterile compositions.
Another aspect of the present invention is a single-use container comprising: a first chamber within the container for housing a first composition and having a first passage means for directing the first composition from the first chamber; a second chamber within the container for housing a second composition and having a second passage means for directing the second composition from the second chamber; and tear-off means for sealing the passages to prevent the compositions from escaping their respective chambers.
Additional advantages of the present invention will become readily apparent to those skilled in this art from the following detailed description, wherein only the preferred embodiment of the present invention is shown and described, simply by way of illustration of the best mode contemplated for carrying out the present invention. As will be realized, the invention is capable of other and different embodiments, and its several details are capable of modifications in various obvious respects, all without departing from the present invention. Accordingly, the drawing and description are to be regarded as illustrative in nature, and not as restrictive.
REFERENCES:
patent: 1626338 (1927-04-01), Heublein
patent: 1928998 (1933-10-01), Kovacs
patent: 2166307 (1939-07-01), Libby
patent: 2517027 (1950-08-01), Rado
patent: 2663461 (1953-12-01), Brown
patent: 3197071 (1965-07-01), Kuster
patent: 3221939 (1965-12-01), Brown
patent: 3224640 (1965-12-01), Schneider et al.
patent: 3227319 (1966-01-01), Rosier
patent: 4073406 (1978-02-01), Goncalves
patent: 4548606 (1985-10-01), Larkin
patent: 4591357 (1986-05-01), Sneider
patent: 4687663 (1987-08-01), Schaeffer
patent: 4838457 (1989-06-01), Swahl et al.
patent: 4872872 (1989-10-01), Polak
patent: 4903842 (1990-02-01), Tokuda et al.
patent: 5052590 (1991-10-01), Ratcliff
patent: 5114044 (1992-05-01), Spanek et al.
patent: 5114411 (1992-05-01), Haber et al.
patent: 5154917 (1992-10-01), Ibrahim et al.
patent: 5207509 (1993-05-01), Herbert
patent: 5244120 (1993-09-01), O'Meara
patent: 5269441 (1993-12-01), O'Meara
patent: 5316400 (1994-05-01), Hoyt et al.
patent: 5318203 (1994-06-01), Iaia et al.
patent: 5409125 (1995-04-01), Kimber et al.
patent: 5411176 (1995-05-01), Favre
patent: 5462526 (1995-10-01), Barney et al.
patent: 5494190 (1996-02-01), Boettcher
patent: 5509898 (1996-04-01
Clyde Richard Allen
Simmons Steven Frank
Jacyna J. Casimer
McDermott & Will & Emery
LandOfFree
Single use container for dispensing separately housed... does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Single use container for dispensing separately housed..., we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Single use container for dispensing separately housed... will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2452310