Patent Application
20140109526
The invention generally relates to filling carboys and containing material and, more particularly, the invention relates to carboys used for dispensing and containing material.
Carboys have been used for many years for containing and transporting a wide variety of materials. For example, among other things, carboys have been used for containing and transporting beverages, granular material, hazardous waste, and laboratory chemicals. In fact, the pharmaceutical industry commonly transports large quantities of medicine in conventional carboys. To those ends, conventional carboys typically have a body with an interior chamber for containing material (e.g., medicine), and a cover for retaining the material within the interior chamber.
In the medical industry, a single two-liter carboy can contain tens of thousands, or even hundreds of thousands of dollars of medicine. In that case, carboy reliability often is critical. Moreover, some medical industry regulations further require that carboys containing certain medicine be substantially tamperproof during transport.
In accordance with one embodiment of the invention, a carboy has a rigid body forming an interior chamber for receiving a liquid. The chamber has a wall terminating at an opening and maintains a substantially constant shape at room temperature. The carboy also has a closure permanently secured to the opening for forming a sealed connection with the rigid body, and at least one tube extending from the plurality of ports in the closure to fluidly connect with a carboy circuit. The closure has a plurality of ports for selectively providing access to the interior chamber, where at least one of the tubes extends out of the interior chamber. The at least one tube is sealable to seal the interior chamber, and configured to be connectable with a carboy circuit before it is sealed.
The body may be formed from plastic, while the closure may have an elastomeric body and a sealing member permanently securing the elastomeric body to the rigid body. Among other connection types, the sealing member can form a snap fit connection with the body, or it may be integral with the body. For example, integral connection types may include a sealing member welded to the body. As another example, the integral connection type may include a carboy where the sealing member is molded as part of the body (e.g., a two-shot molded component).
The plurality of tubes may include a barb for connecting with a flexible hose. Alternatively, or in addition, the plurality of tubes may include a flexible hose. The plurality of tubes may be substantially integral with a portion of the closure. In either case, or in other cases, the plurality of tubes each may include a weld to seal the interior chamber.
The carboy may have medication within the interior chamber. To preserve sterility, the plurality of tubes may be permanently occluded to seal the interior chamber.
Some embodiments have a cap permanently secured to and sealing a given one of the tubes. The cap can have a tab for removing the permanent connection of the cap and the tube. Alternatively, or in addition, a seal may cover the open end of one of the plurality of tubes, where the one tube has a “tube non-permanent connector” about its outside surface. In a corresponding manner, carboy further includes a cap having a “cap non-permanent connector” capable of mating with the tube non-permanent connector. The cap and one tube thus form a non-permanent connection when the mated.
Various embodiments also have a carboy circuit with a filling circuit connected with one of the tubes. The carboy circuit also has a venting circuit connecting with one of the tubes. Moreover, the rigid body typically has a bottom portion and a top portion. The top portion forms the opening, and the bottom portion opposes the top portion and is substantially flat. The rigid body also may form an integral handle.
In accordance with another embodiment of the invention, a method of dispensing a material provides a plurality of carboys. At least one of the carboys has a rigid body forming an interior chamber having an opening. The rigid body maintains a substantially constant shape at room temperature. The at least one carboy also has a closure permanently secured to the opening. The closure has a plurality of tubes to provide access to the interior chamber, where at least one of the tubes extends inwardly from the closure and into the interior chamber. Next, for each carboy, the method connects its tube with a carboy circuit, and directs material through the carboy circuit and into each carboy via its tube. The method then permanently occludes the carboy tubes to seal their interior chambers.
In accordance with other embodiments, a material filling kit has a plurality of carboys, and a plurality of packages that each has a sterile interior. Each sterile interior contains one or more of the carboys. At least one of the carboys includes a rigid body forming an interior chamber for receiving a liquid and having a wall terminating at an opening. The rigid body maintains a substantially constant shape at room temperature. The carboy(s) further have a closure permanently secured to the opening to form a sealed connection with the rigid body. The closure has a plurality of ports for selectively providing access to the interior chamber. Moreover, the carboy(s) also have a plurality of tubes extending from the plurality of ports in the closure to fluidly connect with a carboy circuit. At least one of the tubes both extends out of the interior chamber and extends inwardly from the closure and into the interior chamber.
In accordance with still other embodiments, a carboy includes a rigid body forming an interior chamber for receiving a liquid. The chamber has a wall terminating at an opening and maintains a substantially constant shape at room temperature. The rigid body is blow molded or injection molded. The carboy also has a closure permanently secured to the opening. The closure has a portion that connects with the opening to form a sealed connection with the rigid body. In addition, the closure also has a plurality of ports for selectively providing access to the interior chamber. This plurality of ports exposes the interior chamber to the exterior of the chamber when not occluded. The carboy also has a plurality of tubes extending from the plurality of ports in the closure to fluidly connect with a carboy circuit. This plurality of tubes extends out of the interior chamber, and at least one tube extends inwardly from the closure and into the interior chamber.
Those skilled in the art should more fully appreciate advantages of various embodiments of the invention from the following “Description of Illustrative Embodiments,” discussed with reference to the drawings summarized immediately below.
In illustrative embodiments, a carboy is both robust and easily transportable, while at the same time maintaining a sealed interior after filled with material, such as liquid medication. To that end, the carboy has a rigid body with the closure permanently secured to the opening of the body. Tubes extending from the closure selectively permit access to the interior of the container, and may be occluded to seal its interior. For example, the tubes may include rubber hoses that are heat sealed after the container is filled with medication. At that point, the interior of the container is sealed and tamperproof and thus, ready for storage or transportation to a remote location. Details of illustrative embodiments are discussed below.
The carboy circuit 10 includes two sub-circuits; namely, a filling circuit 12 for directing material from a source and into the carboys 26, and a venting circuit 14 for permitting air within the carboys 26 to escape from the interior of the carboys 26 during the filling process. As discussed in greater detail below, each carboy 26 has separate filling and venting tubes 16 and 18 that respectively connect to the filling and venting circuits 12 and 14 of the carboy circuit 10.
To those ends, the filling circuit 12 has a filling backbone 20 with an inlet 22 for receiving medication from a source (e.g., a large, stationary container of medication), and a plurality of fill fittings 24 for connecting with filling tubes 16 extending from each carboy 26. In the embodiment shown, each fill fitting 24 includes a hollow cross-member directly connecting with two carboys 26. Among other ways, the filling tubes 16 from the carboys 26 may be overmolded into the filling backbone 20. In alternative embodiments, however, the filling tubes 16 may be removable from the filling backbone 20.
In a corresponding manner, the venting circuit 14 has a venting backbone 28 with an outlet 30 (e.g., having a filter) for venting air to the atmosphere, and a plurality of corresponding vent fittings 32 connecting with venting tubes 18 extending from each carboy 26. Structurally, the venting circuit 14 may looks similar to the filling circuit 12. For example, as in the embodiment shown, each vent fitting 32 includes a hollow cross-member directly connecting with two carboys 26. Among other ways, the venting tubes 18 from the carboys 26 may be overmolded into the venting backbone 28. In alternative embodiments, however, the venting tubes 18 may be removably connected with the vent backbone.
The entire carboy system may be distributed completely intact as shown in
Before use, the system preferably is sterile and all or part of it may be contained within a sterile wrap. For example, a single wrap can cover the entire system. Alternatively, each of the carboys 26 and their tubes can be sealed within individual packages or bags (e.g., carboys 26 in one bag, and tubes in another bag). Accordingly, before use, the carboys 26 are removed in a sterile environment from their bags and connected to the carboy circuit 10. Next, the system directs medication from the filling circuit 12, through the filling backbone 20, and into each of the carboys 26. Of course, the medication displaces air within each of the carboys 26. Taking the path of least resistance, this displaced air thus is urged through the respective venting tubes 18, to the venting backbone 28 and into the environment through the vent outlet 30.
The interior chamber 35/body 34 may be any of a number of different sizes or shapes. For example, the interior chamber 35 of the carboy 26 in
In illustrative embodiments, the rigid body 34 maintains its shape at room temperature. Accordingly, the rigid body 34 may be any of a number of materials that have this property. For example, the rigid body 34 may be a hard, relatively inflexible plastic formed using injection molding or blow molding processes. Other embodiments may use metals, glass, or other material having the desired properties.
One or more ports 40, formed through the closure 36, permit access into the interior chamber 35. Each port 40 has a tube extending upwardly and, in some cases, inwardly with respect to the closure 36. For example, one tube may be a filling tube 16, while another tube may be a venting tube 18. As noted above, the filling tube 16 connects with the filling circuit 12, while the venting tube 18 connects with the venting circuit 14. In addition to the filling and venting tubes 16 and 18, the closure 36 also may have a drain tube 42 to facilitate chamber cleaning and removal of medication from within the carboy 26. Other embodiments may omit the drain tube 42. Instead, those embodiments may use one of the other tubes to also remove fluid from the interior chamber 35. For example, one of the other tubes 16 or 18 may extend deeply into the interior chamber 35, thus providing a satisfactory means for removing fluid using a vacuum. Yet other embodiments may have one tube only extending through the closure 36.
In the embodiment shown, two of the tubes 16 and 18 are rubber hoses extending integrally from the closure 36. The third tube, the drain tube 42, is a rigid plastic tube, also extending integrally from the closure 36 and having a closed end. Similar embodiments (e.g., other embodiments discussed below), however, may use flexible hoses for all three parts, rigid hoses for all three parts, or other combinations of rigid and flexible hoses/tubes. Moreover, the diameters of the different tubes 16, 18, and 42 can be the same, or they can vary. Other embodiments may use multiple tubes for a single port 40.
Rather than being positioned at the top of the rigid body 34, the closure 36 and ports 40 may be at a different location. For example, the rigid body 34 may have an irregular shape or other shape having the opening 38 on a surface that is at least partly facing radially (e.g., a side surface or an angled surface not directly facing upwardly from the perspective of the drawings). Accordingly, discussion of a top opening 38 is one of a variety of different implementations. In fact, some embodiments may place some ports 40 directly on the rigid body 34. For example, some embodiments may position a drain port/tube 42 on the side or bottom of the rigid body 34, and position the venting and filling ports/tubes 18 and 16 on the closure 36.
The pharmaceutical industry often freezes medication within the carboys 26. Some of this medication may have completed their reaction to form the medication, or may be continuing to react. In either case, it is important to protect the closure 36 and apparatus extending from the closure 36. To that end, the protective covering 29 may include a bellows or some other protective structure. The carboy 26 may be opened by penetrating the drain tube 42, or by drawing the fluid out through one of the venting or filling tubes 18 or 16. In the latter case, the tubes 18 and 16 may be cut below the heat seals.
It should be noted that a “permanent” connection requires a connection that cannot be easily removed without using undue force damaging the carboy 26. More specifically, a connection is considered to be permanent when removal or separation of the two parts would break or very likely could cause damage through the necessary use of undue force. In the example using a snap-fit connection, removal of the sealing ring with undue force may damage the opening lip 46 or coupling member 50. This is in contrast to a very tightly coupled cap using threads, which is intended to be removed without damaging the parts—i.e., a removable, non-permanent connection. This also is in contrast to a snap-fit having flexible materials that can be removed without undue force and thus, without significant risk of damaging the components.
Accordingly, during assembly, the opening flange/lip 46 may slide up the angled slide surface 60, urging the annular skirt 56 outwardly. Just after the top of the angled slide surface 60, the annular skirt 56 snaps inwardly, where its angled locking ledge 62 locks face to face with the similarly angled underside of the flange/lip 46. In other words, the locking portions 58 effectively provide a part of a clamp about the opening lip 46. This simultaneous connection with a plurality of locking portions 58 should provide sufficient force for sealing and make removal significantly difficult absent undue force and potential component breakage. This permanent connection ensures that the material in the interior chamber 35 is substantially tamper-free until the user receives the sealed carboy 26.
The sealing member 50 may have any of a variety of structures for accomplishing its function. To that end,
Those skilled in the art should understand that a snap-fit connection is one of many potential permanent connections. For example, the coupling member 50 may be welded or glued to the opening 38. In yet other embodiments, the coupling member 50 may be overmolded with the elastomeric member (e.g., using a two-shot injection molding process), or molded with the rigid body 34. Accordingly, discussion of a snap-fit connection is for illustrative purposes only and should not limit all embodiments the invention.
Rather than using the annular ridge 54 to provide a downwardly directed seal, some embodiments may use a radially directed annular ridge 64 extending radially inwardly to provide the same seal.
Some implementations do not require built in flexible hoses like those embodiments discussed above. To that end,
In a manner similar to the embodiment of
To more securely connect the rubber hoses to the barbs 66, the carboy 26 also may secure a plurality of tamperproof clamping wraps 68 about the bases of each rubber hose. One of the barbs 66 may connect with an internal tube extending downwardly toward the bottom of the interior chamber 35. This interior tube should provide the requisite drainage by vacuum or other means. Alternative embodiments may use a two-piece closure for the carboy 26 of
In particular, this embodiment has a cap 44 permanently secured to the drain tube 42. To enable easy and permanent removal, the cap 44 has a pull tab 72 that, when pulled in a certain manner, removes a weakened annular portion 74 of the cap 44. The pull tab 72 thus may be formed from a material that is weak in this region. A thin layer of plastic, for example, should provide satisfactory results. To avoid potential debris from falling into the medication when separating the tab 72, the weakened portion 74 preferably is near the base of the drain tube 42. After it is removed, the cap 44 may be reinserted onto the drain tube 42, although it no longer is permanently connected.
Of course, this embodiment using the pull tab 72 may have different features than those of the drawings. For example, rather than using barbs 66, this embodiment also can use integral flexible hoses extending from the radially interior portion of the closure 36. In addition, or alternatively, this embodiment also may use a two piece closure 36 design, and/or have additional ports 40. Indeed, other embodiments have similar component interchangeability. Accordingly, this is not the only embodiment they can have different features than those shown in the other embodiments.
To remove the material from within the rigid body 34/interior chamber 35, a user forcibly removes or damages the seal member 80. For example, the seal member 80 may be removable using a pull tab 72 similar to that discussed above with regard to
Accordingly, illustrative embodiments provide the advantages of a rigid carboy 26 while ensuring that its internal material is not tampered with prior to opening.
Although the above discussion discloses various exemplary embodiments of the invention, it should be apparent that those skilled in the art can make various modifications that will achieve some of the advantages of the invention without departing from the true scope of the invention.
