DE102012110973B4 - Use of a holding element for holding a container, and holding structure - Google Patents

Abstract

Use of a holding element (10) for holding a container (2) for substances for cosmetic, medical or pharmaceutical applications, in particular a bottle, on a holding structure (20) in which a plurality of openings or receptacles (21) are formed the containers can be inserted, the holding element (10) being arranged on a section (5) of the container in order to hold the container, and the container with the holding element (10) arranged thereon being inserted into an opening (21) of the holding structure (20) is introduced so that the holding element (10) rests at least in sections on an edge of the opening (21), the holding element (10) having a beveled edge section (17) which extends along the edge of the holding element, the beveled Edge section (17) rests directly on an edge of the associated opening (21) of the holding structure (20), the edge (23) of the associated opening (21) of the holding structure (20), on which the beveled edge section (17) of the holding element ( 10) rests directly, is designed to be bevelled, the angles of inclination of the bevelled edge section (17) of the holding element (10) and the edge (23) of the associated opening (21) of the holding structure (20) corresponding to one another.

Description

Field of invention

The present invention relates generally to the simultaneous holding of a plurality of containers for storing substances for medical, pharmaceutical or cosmetic applications, in particular vials, and in particular relates to the simultaneous holding of a plurality of such containers in a holding structure in a simple and reliable manner in such a way that, while they are held in a holding structure provided for this purpose, they can be processed or further processed in filling or processing systems, in particular in a sterile tunnel, a filling system for liquid medical or pharmaceutical applications or a freeze-drying cabinet for this purpose. The present invention further relates to a transport and/or packaging container with at least one such holding structure and optionally with an integrated sensor system and/or counterfeit protection.

Background of the invention

Medication containers, such as bottles, ampoules or cartridges, are widely used as containers for storing and storing medical, pharmaceutical or cosmetic preparations administered in liquid form, especially in pre-dosed amounts. These generally have a cylindrical shape, can be made from plastics or glass and are available inexpensively in large quantities. In order to fill the containers as economically as possible under sterile conditions, concepts are increasingly being used in which the containers are sterilely packaged in transport and packaging containers at the manufacturer of the container, which are then stored at a pharmaceutical company under sterile conditions, in particular in a so-called sterile tunnel , unpacked and then further processed.

For this purpose, various transport and packaging containers are known from the prior art, in which a plurality of medication containers are simultaneously arranged in a regular arrangement, for example in a matrix arrangement along rows and columns extending at right angles thereto. This has advantages in the automated further processing of the containers, since the containers can be transferred to processing stations in controlled positions and in a predetermined arrangement, for example to automatic process machines, robots or the like. For this purpose, holding structures are used in which a plurality of containers can be held at the same time in a predetermined regular arrangement. To transfer it to a processing station, the transport and packaging container simply needs to be suitably positioned and opened. The downstream processing station then knows in which position and arrangement the containers to be further processed are arranged.

Such a transport and packaging container and a corresponding packaging concept are, for example, in US 8,118,167 B2 disclosed. However, the further processing of the containers always takes place in such a way that the holding structure is removed from the transport and packaging container, the containers are removed from the holding structure and separated and are individually transferred to the processing stations on a conveyor device, in particular a conveyor belt, and further processed there. This limits the speed that can be achieved during further processing. Particularly when separating the containers with the help of cellular wheels or the like, it often happens that individual containers collide with each other in an uncontrolled manner, which leads to undesirable abrasion and, as a result, to contamination of the container interior or the process system as well as to an impairment of the external appearance of the containers leads to what is undesirable.

US 8,100,263 B2 discloses a sterile packable and transportable transport and packaging container, into which a plate-shaped holding structure can be inserted, in which a plurality of medication containers are held in a regular arrangement. The individual medication containers are initially arranged loosely in receptacles that are formed in the holding structure. The holding structure is then inserted into the transport and packaging container and surrounded with a gas-impermeable plastic tube. When the packaging unit designed in this way is subsequently evacuated, the plastic tube is pressed into the spaces between the medication containers due to the negative pressure prevailing in the tube, which on the one hand leads to a stabilization of the position of the medication containers in the holding structure and on the other hand prevents further uncontrolled collision of adjacent medication containers. However, when evacuating and then opening the plastic tube, the medication containers can slip laterally, which increases the automation effort for further processing of the medication containers. Furthermore, the medication containers can still collide in an uncontrolled manner after the plastic tube has been opened, which brings with it the aforementioned disadvantages. The medication containers cannot be transported or distributed Packaging containers or in the holding structure are further processed, but must first be separated in the conventional manner and handed over to downstream processing stations.

US 2007/0151882 A1 discloses an arrangement of elements consisting of a plate with housings for receiving a variety of objects, the housings being delimited by side walls, and a support area for receiving the objects. According to the invention, each housing is formed by a cell. The side walls delimiting the cells separate one cell from the next and extend in a direction that is substantially perpendicular to the plane of the plate. Each cell is shaped to at least partially accommodate the proximal portion of an object and each cell includes at least one tool for immobilizing each object.

There are no packaging solutions for vials that can be freeze-dried (lyophilized) and sealed in the holding structure (in the nest) and/or within the packaging without significantly influencing this process. The mounting variants from the WO 2010/086128 A1 keep the bottles in the nest on the ground. Since the nest acts as an insulator between the freeze dryer base plate and the bottle, heat transfer is difficult or hardly economical.
WO 2009/015862 A1 reveals a nesting solution that is based on a firm connection to the bottles via friction ("...flaps fit against neck..."). Due to the fact that plastic nests can never be produced without tension and the vials usually have different lengths, it follows that individual vials in the freeze dryer lose contact with the bottom during the process. The freeze-drying process can therefore be unstable and difficult to control.
Furthermore, with this solution, the bottles cannot be reinserted into the nest from above during “in-process control”. However, many pharmaceutical manufacturers require strict avoidance of any penetration of particles from above into the filling openings of the vials. It is therefore desirable to return the vials measured or checked during processing back into the nest from above.

The freeze-drying process is one of the most expensive processes in the production of pharmaceuticals. Since the costs essentially depend on the packing density that can be achieved during processing and freeze-drying, this must be optimized.

Furthermore, the existing packaging is not flexible enough to transport different vial sizes. Most nesting solutions use the outside diameter of the bottle as an auxiliary contour for fixation. However, this is usually not very standardized and is often subject to comparatively high tolerances.

In the holding structures after the WO 2011/135085 A1 and WO 2009/015862 A1 The vials cannot be held stress-free in the holding structure, which can lead to undesirable bulging of the holding structure, particularly during processing, for example in a freeze-drying cabinet.

In any case, direct contact of the bottoms of the medication containers, in particular the bottoms of bottles, is not possible with conventional holding structures. However, this makes further processing of the medication containers more difficult, especially if their contents are to be subjected to freeze-drying (also referred to as lyophilization or sublimation drying). Furthermore, further processing of the medication containers directly in the holding structures is not possible since they are either held rigidly there or are not sufficiently accessible for further processing, which is why the medication containers always have to be removed from the holding structures for further processing, which is time-consuming and expensive is.

Summary of the invention

The object of the present invention is to further improve the holding of containers that are used to store substances for cosmetic, medical or pharmaceutical applications, so that these containers can be handled, transported and processed even more quickly and economically, more easily and more reliably can.

This object is achieved by a holding element and its use for holding containers according to claim 1, by a holding structure according to claim 21. Further advantageous embodiments are the subject of the dependent claims.

According to the present invention, a holding element is provided which is arranged on a section of the container in order to hold the respective container, the container with the holding element arranged thereon being inserted into an opening of the holding structure in such a way that the holding element is at least partially on a Edge of the opening rests, with the holding element (10) has a beveled edge section (17) which extends along the edge of the holding element, the bevelled edge section (17) resting directly on an edge of the associated opening (21) of the holding structure, 30 the edge (23) of the associated Opening (21) of the holding structure, on which the beveled edge section (17) of the holding element (10) rests directly, is designed to be beveled, the angle of inclination of the beveled edge section (17) of the holding element (10) and the edge (23) of the associated opening (21) of the holding structure correspond to each other.

With the help of the holding element, tolerances, in particular with regard to the outer radius or the outer contour of the containers and their length, can be easily compensated for. For example, tolerances regarding the outer radius or the outer contour of the containers can be easily compensated for by a certain radial play with which the containers are held by the holding element, or by a certain elasticity or deformability of the holding element. Tolerances or differences in length between individual containers in the axial direction can be compensated for simply by arranging the holding element at different axial positions of the container, in particular engaging in it or in an outer circumference thereof.

Such tolerance compensation and a flexible holder for bottles can be achieved even more easily with different external contours and dimensions. The annular holding element surrounds the outer circumference of the container at least in sections and particularly preferably essentially completely, apart from an insertion opening which is provided for inserting and removing the container into or out of the annular holding element.

The engagement of the holding element is particularly flexible and simple in the area of a narrowed neck section of the container, which is encompassed at least in sections by the holding element.

The holding element can in principle engage in a frictional or positive manner into the outer circumference of the container, particularly preferably in the area of the narrowed neck section of the container.

Very particularly preferably, the container is received with radial play in a central opening of the holding element, the inner diameter of which is larger than the outer diameter of the narrowed neck section but is smaller than the outer diameter of an upper edge of the container, which adjoins the narrowed neck section. In particular, if the lower edge of the upper edge (in particular the rolled edge) of the container is designed to be bevelled, a self-centering effect occurs, so that the container is automatically centered in the central opening of the holding element.

According to claim 6, inserting and removing the container into or out of the annular holding element is made even easier.

According to claim 1 or claim 7, the handling of the holding element or the container held by it is made easier. The beveled edge enables the formation of a wedge-shaped free space, such as in 3c shown, into which a gripping or handling tool can be inserted in order to grip or handle the holding element.

According to further embodiments, such a beveled edge of the holding element can ensure further self-centering of the container when it rests on the edge of the associated opening. This is particularly true if the friction between the holding element and the edge of the associated opening is advantageously low due to a suitable friction pairing of these elements, so that the container's own weight or a slight shaking movement is sufficient to automatically bring about this self-centering of the container.

For easier handling or gripping of the holding element together with the container held by it, a suitable structure, for example a recess, projection or form-fitting structure, can be provided at a suitable location on the holding element according to claims 13 to 15, which is for the handling or gripping of the Holding element is sufficiently accessible.

Figure overview

• 1 in einer schematischen Schnittansicht ein Fläschchen (Vial), der von einer Haltestruktur gemäß der vorliegenden Erfindung gehalten werden soll;
• 2a in einer schematischen Draufsicht und in einer Schnittansicht einen Halteclip, der zum Halten eines Fläschchens um dessen Hals herum angebracht wird;
• 2b in einer perspektivischen Draufsicht eine Haltestruktur (Halteplatte) mit einer Mehrzahl von darin gehaltenen Fläschchen (Behältern);
• 2c in einer vergrößerten Ansicht den Teilabschnitt B gemäß der 2b;
• 2d eine Draufsicht auf die Haltestruktur (Halteplatte) gemäß der 2a;
• 2e einen stark vergrößerten Teilausschnitt aus der Draufsicht gemäß der 2d;
• 3a in einer schematischen Schnittansicht die Halterung eines Fläschchens gemäß einer ersten Ausführungsform der vorliegenden Erfindung;
• 3b in einer vergrößerten Ansicht den Teilabschnitt F gemäß der 3a;
• 3c in einer schematischen Schnittansicht die Halterung eines Fläschchens gemäß einer weiteren Ausführungsform der vorliegenden Erfindung;
• 3d in einer schematischen Schnittansicht die Halterung eines Fläschchens gemäß einer weiteren Ausführungsform der vorliegenden Erfindung; und
• 3e in einer schematischen Schnittansicht die Halterung eines Fläschchens gemäß einer weiteren Ausführungsform der vorliegenden Erfindung.

The invention will be described below in an exemplary manner and with reference to the accompanying drawings, from which further features, advantages and tasks to be solved will arise. Show it:

• 1 in a schematic sectional view a vial to be held by a holding structure according to the present invention;
• 2a in a schematic top view and in a sectional view a retaining clip which is attached around the neck for holding a vial;
• 2 B in a perspective top view, a holding structure (holding plate) with a plurality of vials (containers) held therein;
• 2c in an enlarged view of section B according to 2 B ;
• 2d a top view of the holding structure (holding plate) according to 2a ;
• 2e a greatly enlarged partial section from the top view according to 2d ;
• 3a in a schematic sectional view the holder of a vial according to a first embodiment of the present invention;
• 3b in an enlarged view the section F according to 3a ;
• 3c in a schematic sectional view the holder of a vial according to a further embodiment of the present invention;
• 3d in a schematic sectional view the holder of a vial according to a further embodiment of the present invention; and
• 3e in a schematic sectional view the holder of a bottle according to a further embodiment of the present invention.

In the figures, identical reference numerals designate identical or essentially identical elements or groups of elements.

Detailed description of preferred embodiments

According to the present invention, as described below, a holding structure and a transport and packaging container that accommodates such a holding structure serve to simultaneously hold a plurality of containers for storing substances for cosmetic, medical or pharmaceutical applications, preferably in a regular manner Arrangement, in particular in a matrix arrangement with the containers at regular intervals from one another, along two different spatial directions, preferably along two mutually orthogonal spatial directions or in regular rows which are arranged offset relative to one another.

An example of such medication containers in the form of bottles is in 1 shown schematically in a longitudinal section. These have a cylindrical basic shape, with a cylindrical side wall 4 with - within the tolerances - constant inner and outer diameter, which projects vertically from a flat bottle base 3 and near the upper open end of the bottle in a narrowed neck section 5 of comparatively smaller axial length and then merges into a widened upper edge 6 (also rolled edge), which has a larger outer diameter than the associated neck section 5 and is designed for connection to a closure element. How to get the 1 can be seen, the underside of the rolled edge 6 is bevelled and extends downwards at an acute angle and towards the narrowed neck section 5.

The neck section 5 can be designed with smooth walls without an external thread or can be provided with an external thread for screwing on a closure element. For example, a stopper (not shown) can be inserted into the inner bore of the neck section 5 and the upper edge 6, the upper end of which is connected to the upper edge 6 of the vial in a gas-tight manner and protected against the penetration of contaminants into the vial , for example by crimping or flanging a metal protective film, not shown. Such vials are radially symmetrical and made from a transparent or colored glass or also from a suitable plastic material using blow molding or plastic injection molding techniques, and can in principle be coated on the inside so that the material of the vial releases as little impurities as possible to the substance to be absorbed.

Another example of containers within the meaning of the present application are ampoules, cartridges or syringe or injection containers. Ampoules or carpoules are containers for medicines, usually for parenteral administration (injection), for cosmetics and other substances and are usually cylindrical in shape with an extended tip (spike or head) and a flat bottom or with two extended tips at both ends. These can be designed in particular as crushing ampoules with an annular predetermined breaking point around the neck of the ampoule or as an OPC ampoule (one-point-cut ampoule) with a breaking ring scratched into the glass. Syringe or injection containers, also known as injection bottles, lancing ampoules or reusable ampoules, are cylindrical, bottle-like containers made of glass or plastic, usually in relatively small nominal volumes (e.g. 1 ml, 10 ml). They are closed with a rubber stopper with a septum (piercing rubber). To protect the septum and fix the rubber stopper, an external closure (crimp cap or clamp), often made of aluminum sheet, is applied. In a cartridge, the liquid is contained in a cylinder that is sealed at one end with a thick rubber or plastic stopper. This acts as a piston when the contents are squeezed out with a cartridge syringe. At the other end is the cylinder only closed with a thin membrane, which is pierced during use by the rear end of the carpule cannula (a cannula that is ground on both sides). Cylinder ampoules are often used in dentistry for local anesthesia. Special cylinder ampoules with a specially designed front part (e.g. thread) are used for insulin therapy in insulin pens.

For the purposes of the present invention, such containers serve to store substances or active ingredients for cosmetic, medical or pharmaceutical applications, which are to be stored in one or more components in solid or liquid form in the container. Especially with glass containers, storage times can be many years, which depends in particular on the hydrolytic resistance of the type of glass used. While containers are disclosed below that are cylindrical, it should be noted that the containers within the meaning of the present invention can also have a different profile, for example a square, rectangular or polygonal profile.

Due to the manufacturing process, such containers inevitably have tolerances that can amount to one or several tenths of a millimeter, especially in the case of glass containers. In order to be able to compensate for such manufacturing tolerances and at the same time to ensure that all bottle bases 3 can be arranged in one plane, the containers are fixed according to the invention to a holding structure, as explained below. The containers are held in the transition area of the narrowed neck section 5 to the widened upper edge 6 or in the area of the narrowed neck section 5. As explained below, a holding element (hereinafter holding clip) is arranged around the narrowed neck section 5, which surrounds the narrowed neck section 5 at least in sections and with which the narrowed neck section 5 is in a frictional or positive engagement or with a certain radial play to compensate for this of tolerances and different outside diameters of different container types. This holding element in turn rests on the holding structure in the area of the associated opening or receptacle formed therein or is suitably fixed therein.

The holding force exerted on the containers by the holding element is sufficient to reliably hold the containers in the holding element and on the holding structure. In particular, the holding force exerted is greater than the weight of the container, possibly with its contents and sealing plug. According to further embodiments, the holding force can also be dimensioned by suitable design of the holding means so that it is greater than the usual force when handling, processing or treating the containers in a processing plant.

This ensures that the containers are always held reliably. Nevertheless, by simply gripping and adjusting the holding elements, the containers can be adjusted together with the container held by them in the openings or receptacles without major resistance, in particular axially advanced or rotated.

To insert, remove or move the containers on a carrier, the containers simply need to be inserted appropriately into the openings or receptacles of the carrier and the holding elements must be suitably placed or brought into engagement on the edge of the respective openings or receptacles of the carrier. The holder of the containers that can be achieved in this way is sufficiently stable that they continue to be reliably held on the carrier when a small force is applied, for example due to vibrations of the process system or its conveying means, and do not accidentally fall over. This significantly reduces the risk of unintentional contamination in process systems.

Another significant advantage of the present invention is that the containers can be inserted into the openings or receptacles of the carrier from above and can also be removed from them upwards or adjusted axially. The risk of particles accidentally entering the interior volume of the container can be minimized.

• - Die Gefriertrockung im Nest ist praktisch möglich.
• - Die Verbördelung der Behälter im Nest ist möglich, da die Fläschchen angehoben werden können.
• - Die Fläschchen können leicht von oben zurück in das Nest gesetzt werden. Deshalb brauchen die Fläschchen bei Pharmaprozessen nie das Nest verlassen. Dies spart Handhabungswerkzeuge, ermöglicht eine hohe Packungsdichte der Behälter, insbesondere bei der Gefriertrocknung, verhindert einen Glas-zu-Glas Kontakt im Prozess und ermöglicht einen sicheren Transport der Behälter, da die Relativbewegungen der Fläschchen zum Nest eingeschränkt sind. Insgesamt wird auch ein günstiger, stabiler und qualitativ hochwertiger Füllprozess ermöglicht.
• - Ein unmittelbarer Bodenkontakt sämtlicher Fläschchen, die von einem Nest (Haltestruktur) gehalten werden, ist auch beim Verziehen das Nest und für verschiedene Fläschchenlängen möglich.
• - Das Nest und die Fläschchenclips können mit einfachen Spritzgusswerkzeugen hergestellt werden, insbesondere frei von Hinterschnitten.

Other advantages include:

• - Freeze drying in the nest is practically possible.
• - The containers in the nest can be crimped as the bottles can be lifted.
• - The bottles can easily be placed back into the nest from above. That's why the vials never have to leave the nest in pharmaceutical processes. This saves handling tools, enables a high packing density of the containers, especially during freeze drying, prevents glass-to-glass contact in the process and enables safe transport of the containers because the relative movements of the vials to the nest are limited. Overall, a cheap, stable and high-quality filling process is made possible.
• - Direct contact with the ground of all the bottles that are held by a nest (holding structure) is also the case when warping Nest and for different bottle lengths possible.
• - The nest and vial clips can be made with simple injection molding tools, especially free of undercuts.

The details of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the accompanying drawings. As will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art upon studying the above description, the individual aspects and features of the exemplary embodiments described above can also be combined and claimed in any suitable manner, resulting in numerous further embodiments and modifications. As will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art upon studying the present description and drawings, all such further embodiments and modifications are intended to be embraced by the present invention so long as they do not depart from the general spirit and scope of the present invention as set forth in FIGS attached patent claims.

Reference symbol list

2

vial

3

bottle bottom

4

Side wall

5

Neck

6

top edge/rolled edge

7

Filling opening

10

Retaining clip

11

Ring part

12

central opening

13

Insertion opening

14

rounded corner area

15

lower slope

16

front side

17

lower slope

18

rounded corner area

20

Retaining plate

21

Opening of holding plate

22

Free space to grip the retaining clip 10

23

beveled edge of opening 21

24

Trough / recessed section on top of holding plate 20

25

Side wall

Claims (18)

Use of a holding element (10) for holding a container (2) for substances for cosmetic, medical or pharmaceutical applications, in particular a bottle, on a holding structure (20) in which a plurality of openings or receptacles (21) are formed the containers can be inserted, the holding element (10) being arranged on a section (5) of the container in order to hold the container, and the container with the holding element (10) arranged thereon being inserted into an opening (21) of the holding structure (20) is introduced so that the holding element (10) rests at least in sections on an edge of the opening (21), wherein the holding element (10) has a beveled edge section (17) which extends along the edge of the holding element, wherein the beveled edge section (17) rests directly on an edge of the associated opening (21) of the holding structure (20), wherein the edge (23) of the associated opening (21) of the holding structure (20), on which the beveled edge section (17) of the holding element (10) rests directly, is designed to be beveled, the angle of inclination of the beveled edge section (17) of the holding element ( 10) and the edge (23) of the associated opening (21) of the holding structure (20) correspond to one another. Use after Claim 1 , wherein the holding element is ring-shaped. Use after Claim 1 or 2 , wherein the containers (2) have a narrowed neck section (5) and the holding element encompasses a respective narrowed neck section (5) of the container at least in sections in order to hold the container. Use according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the annular holding element has a central opening (12) with an inside diameter which is matched to the outside diameter of the container, in particular to the outside diameter of the narrowed neck portion (5). Use after Claim 4 , wherein the inner diameter of the central opening (12) is larger than the outer diameter of the narrowed neck section (5) but is smaller than the outer diameter of an upper edge of the container (5) which adjoins the narrowed neck section (5). Use after Claim 4 or 5 , wherein the annular holding element further has an insertion opening (13) with a clear width, which is matched to the outer diameter of the container, in particular to the outer diameter of the narrowed neck section (5), and which is preferably larger than the outer diameter of the narrowed neck section (5). Use according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the beveled edge portion (17) is provided on the underside of the holding element. Use according to one of the preceding claims, wherein an angle of inclination of the beveled edge section (17) relative to a top or bottom of the holding element is in the range between 10 degrees and 50 degrees, more preferably in the range between 15 degrees and 30 degrees and even more preferably in the range between 15 degrees and 25 degrees. Use according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the beveled edge section (17) of the holding element (10) rests on the edge of the associated opening (21) of the holding structure in such a way that between the beveled edge section (17) of the holding element (10) and the top of the A wedge-shaped gap (22) remains in the holding structure, so that a gripping tool can grip the holding element on the beveled edge section (17) in order to remove the container (2) together with the holding element (2) from the opening (22) of the holding structure (20) or to be adjusted axially in this opening. Use according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the edge of the associated opening (21) of the holding structure rests in a trough (24) or a recessed section on the top of the holding structure (20). Use according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the clip is formed in one piece from a plastic, in particular using injection molding technology. Use after Claim 11 , where the plastic is an elastic or elastomeric plastic. Use according to one of the preceding claims, wherein at least one recess or a projection is formed on an outer peripheral surface (16) of the holding element, into which a gripping or handling tool engages in order to grip the holding element and the container (2) together with it to remove the holding element (2) from the opening (22) of the holding structure (20) or to adjust it axially in this opening. Use after Claim 13 , wherein the recess is designed as a circumferential groove or the projection as a circumferential annular projection on the outer peripheral surface (16) of the holding element. Use after one of the Claims 1 until 12 , wherein on a top or outer peripheral surface (16) of the holding element, a form-fitting structure is formed, into which a gripping or handling tool engages in order to grip the holding element and the container (2) together with the holding element (2) out of the opening (22). the holding structure (20) or to adjust it axially in this opening. Use according to one of the preceding claims, wherein on an underside of the holding structure (20) projections, in particular annular side walls (25), which at least partially surround a respective opening, are formed in order to prevent containers that are immediately adjacent to one another from coming into contact when they come into contact with each other the holding structure are held together. Use according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the undersides (3) of the containers are freely accessible from the back or underside of the holding structure (20) if they are held together by the holding structure, so that all containers rest directly on a common support surface can. Holding structure for simultaneously holding a plurality of containers (2) for substances for cosmetic, medical or pharmaceutical applications, in particular bottles, with a carrier (20) which has a plurality of openings or receptacles (21) into which the containers can be inserted , and with holding means for holding the containers in the openings or receptacles, characterized in that the holding means are designed as a holding element (10), the holding element (10) being arranged on a section (5) of the container in order to hold the container , and wherein the container with the holding element (10) arranged thereon is inserted into an opening (21) of the holding structure in such a way that the holding element (10) rests at least in sections on an edge of the opening (21), the holding element (10) has a beveled edge section (17) which extends along the edge of the holding element, the beveled edge section (17) resting directly on an edge of the associated opening (21) of the holding structure, the edge (23) of the associated opening (21) the holding structure, on which the beveled edge section (17) of the holding element (10) immediately bar rests, is designed to be bevelled, the angles of inclination of the bevelled edge section (17) of the holding element (10) and the edge (23) of the associated opening (21) of the holding structure corresponding to one another.

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