Tray for handling syringe barrels

A method of combining a plurality of syringes with a tray of a handling system, said method, comprising the steps of:

• providing said plurality of syringes, said plurality of syringes each having a syringe barrel and a safe needle device, each syringe barrel having a forward end and a rearward end, said rearward end having an enlargement at or adjacent said rearward end, wherein each safe needle device includes a protective shield, each protective shield being slideably fitted on said forward end of a respective syringe barrel and having a larger diameter than that of said respective syringe barrel such that said shield is slideable rearwardly over said respective syringe barrel;
• providing said tray, said tray having a plurality of apertures, each of said plurality of apertures being of a sufficient size to receive a respective one of said syringe barrels and a respective one of said protective shields, wherein each aperture is provided with a respective tube surrounding said aperture and projecting from said tray, and a support surface is formed at an end region of said tube, and wherein said support surface has a generally conical profile of reducing cross-section in a direction of said tray and said support surface is configured for engagement by said enlargement of a respective one of said syringe barrels received in said aperture when said tray is supported generally horizontally;
• and
• lowering each one of said syringe barrels into respective ones of said apertures thereby to interengage said enlargement of each syringe barrel with said conical profile of said corresponding support surface to suspend each syringe barrel through a respective tube and center each syringe barrel to be co-axial with said respective aperture.