Pharmaceutical container and method and apparatus for assembly
AssigneeCreative Automation, Inc.
InventorsGeorge Duryee, Allen M. Bartlo
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The invention relates to a pharmaceutical bottle having a neck region with an open end, pills therein, a fibrous hygroscope member, such as a cotton wad, in the neck region of said bottle and a closure cap sealing the bottle opening. The neck region has on its inner surface a leaflet retaining ring which serves to hold the leaflet in place within the bottle immediately after the insertion. The tendency of the leaflet to unfold or open, causes the edges of the leaflet to engage the retaining ring and to be held in place at least until the bottle is sealed. The leaflet is in compression engagement with the fibrous hygroscope member, such that the pills are substantially prevented from moving relative to one another.
Claims21
A pharmaceutical bottle having a neck region with an open end, pills therein, a fibrous hygroscope member in the neck region of said bottle and a closure means sealing the bottle opening, said neck region having on its inner surface a leaflet retaining surface discontinuity, a leaflet, said leaflet being in compression engagement with said fibrous hygroscope member, whereby said pills are substantially prevented from moving relative to one another.
The method of substantially preventing pills contained within a bottle from moving relative to one another, said pharmaceutical bottle having a neck region with an open end, pills therein, a fibrous hygroscope member in the neck region of said bottle and a closure means sealing the bottle opening, said neck region having on its surface a leaflet retaining surface discontinuity and leaflet, said method comprising inserting said pills into said pharmaceutical bottle, inserting said fibrous hygroscope member in the neck region of said bottle and inserting said leaflet into said neck region of said bottle, maintaining said leaflet in compression engagement with said fibrous hygroscope member, whereby said pills are substantially precluded from moving relative to one another.
The method of inserting a leaflet into a pharmaceutical bottle, said pharmaceutical bottle having a neck region with an open end, pills therein, a fibrous hygroscope member in the neck region of said bottle and a closure means sealing the bottle opening, said neck region having on its inner surface a leaflet retaining surface discontinuity, said method comprising the steps of;
- (a) lowering a plunger until it engages a leaflet,
- (b) forcing said leaflet through a slot thereby folding said leaflet,
- (c) inserting said leaflet into said bottle until said leaflet compresses said hygroscopic member and said leaflet is fully within said bottle,
- (d) maintaining said leaflet in compression engagement with said fibrous hygroscope member for a period at least sufficient to permit said leaflet to partially unfold and engage said retaining surface discontinuity thereby holding said leaflet in place,
- (e) removing said plunger from said bottle.
Apparatus for inserting a leaflet into a pharmaceutical bottle, said pharmaceutical bottle having a neck region with an open end, pills therein, a fibrous hygroscopic member in the neck region of said bottle, said apparatus comprising;
- (a) means for delivering a single leaflet from a stack of leaflets to a leaflet receiving position,
- (b) means to fold said leaflet
- (c) inserting and maintaining means, said inserting and maintaining means be positioned to insert said folded leaflet into said bottle until said leaflet compresses said hygroscopic member and said leaflet is fully within said bottle, said inserting and maintaining means retaining said leaflet in place and maintaining said leaflet in compression engagement with said fibrous hygroscope member for a period at least sufficient to permit said leaflet to partially unfold and be retained in place,
- (d) means for sealing said bottle thereby locking said leaflet under compression between said seal and said hygroscopic member, whereby said pills are substantially prcluded from moving relative to one another.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.