EP3373886A1 - Medication system with a medication tray and method for producing a ready-to-deliver medication system - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a medication system with a medication tray (1) comprising a substantially rectangular tray plate (9) comprising a number of individual receiving points (10), separate from one another and running in rows, and comprising a plurality of containers (2) containing medications, which containers are positioned in the receiving points (10) to be individually removable, wherein plastic film (17), which is provided with perforations along the outer contours of the containers (2), is sealed to the container edges. The tray (1) is a plastic injection-moulded part, wherein each container (2) is individually provided with a plastic film sealed to the container edge, which plastic film is obtained from a single, flexible plastic film, provided with perforations (18) along the outer contours of the containers (2), and which has been fused only along the container edges, and whose non-fused part, forming a film grid (17a), has been removed by separating in the area of the perforations (18).

Description

 Description Medication system with a medication tray and method for creating a delivery-ready medication system

The invention relates to a medication system with a drug tray having a substantially rectangular tray plate with a number of running in rows, individual and separate receiving sites and with a plurality of liquid or solid medication containing containers, which are individually removable in the

Receiving points are positioned, wherein plastic film, which along the

Outside contours of the container is provided with perforations, is sealed with the container edges. The invention further relates to methods for creating a

Ready-to-use medication system with a drug tray, which has a substantially rectangular tray plate with a number of running in rows, individual and separate receiving points for medication-receiving container. A medication system with a medication tray is known from EP 2 194 952 B1. A film sealing the individual containers extends over the top of the tray and thus also over all the containers that are positioned in the receiving locations. The film is therefore welded to both the marginal areas of the containers as well as with the surface areas of the tray plate in between. In each container, the film is perforated along the outer contour of the edge to selectively remove individual ones

To allow containers while not removed containers are retained and sealed sealed. To remove the medicaments contained in the container, the foil piece forming its cover is removed. In this known

Packaging system, the trays are not reusable and it arises in the

Facilities, in which the system is used, relatively much voluminous

Plastic waste. The trays produced by deep drawing are thin-walled and unstable, which makes their handling difficult. The invention has for its object to provide a medication system with a reusable, stable and convenient to handle medication tray available. The tray should therefore also be clean, especially

dishwasher safe, be. The invention is further based on the object to provide a simple method for creating a medication system with a ready for delivery and reusable medication tray available.

With regard to the medication system, this object is achieved according to the invention in that the tray is a plastic injection-molded part, and that each container is provided individually with a plastic film sealed to the container rim, which is provided with perforations along a single flexible contour along the outer contours of the containers Plastic film comes, which has been welded only along the container edges and their non-welded, a foil-forming part has been deducted by severing in the perforations.

The method according to the invention provides the following steps:

Inserting the containers in the receiving points of the tray plate,

Filling the containers with medication,

Positioning a single flexible plastic film provided with perforations along the outer contours of the containers, on the tray plate and the containers,

Sealing the film exclusively along the container edges,

 Peel off the non-welded, forming a film grid part of the film from the tray by cutting in the perforations.

The inventive design of the tray as a plastic injection molded part, with which the film is therefore not welded, makes it possible to ensure reusability, high stability, comfortable and improved handling and the possibility of optimal cleaning. The medication system can be brought to the ready for delivery in a simple and convenient manner. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the containers are in the

Recording set the tray plate by means of at least one locking connection releasably positioned and re-usable. This measure prevents the containers from accidental loss and facilitates handling of the medication system according to the invention.

For weight reasons, it is also advantageous if the receiving points of the tray plate according to the invention are openings.

Also particularly advantageous is an embodiment of the invention in which the mentioned locking connection has at least one projection formed on the inner edge of the receiving point and at least one projection formed on the container. In the locked or snapped-in state, the projection formed on the container is located below the edge of the receiving location. A secure placement of the tray is ensured according to a further feature of the invention by a design in which on the two longitudinal sides and preferably also on at least one of the end sides of the tray plate to the tray plate substantially perpendicular edge portion is provided. Particularly advantageous is an embodiment of the invention in which a lid-like receptacle, in particular for storage of revenue-related information or patient information, is arranged swing-open at the edge part of the tray plate, wherein the receptacle is detachably connected by means of a snap connection with the edge part of the tray. The envisaged detachable arrangement of the recording of the tray plate offers advantages in the positioning of said intake advice or patient information and also in the

Cleaning the tray.

In a further preferred embodiment of the invention, an inclined front part is formed with fields for attaching labels on an end face of the tray plate. At this front part can therefore be made in a removable manner an additional individual labeling of the tray, for example by means of sticky and again removable, correspondingly labeled labels which are positioned in the fields, in particular as shallow recesses.

In a particularly advantageous embodiment, each container has a cup on which a lid edge is seated with a running in the plane or parallel to the tray plate surface, with which the film forming a foil lid is sealed. The edge of the lid is advantageously carried out in such a way that it can be removed from the cup together with the film sealed with it. In a further embodiment of the invention, the cups are made in one piece with a rim portion having a surface for welding the foil. In this case, it is provided that the containers can be opened by peeling off the film. Reclosing is not possible in this embodiment. The delivery - ready condition of the

 Medication system create by a number of several, arranged in a row, interconnected via joints containers are used in the tray, the joints are mechanically or thermally severed during the sealing process.

The sealing, which can be done in particular by welding or gluing, is simplified in that the sealing surfaces forming container edges lie in the plane of the tray plate. The plastic film can be printed in a simple manner before its positioning within the parting lines formed by perforations, in particular by punching. These areas are also those which, after peeling off the film-forming part of the film, form the film covers of the containers. Further features, advantages and details of the invention will now be described with reference to the drawing illustrating embodiments. Show 1 is an oblique view of a tray plate of a tray according to the invention from above,

Fig. 2 is a detail of Fig. 1, Fig. 3 is a bottom view of the tray, with a closed receptacle

Fig. 4 is an oblique view of the underside of the tray, with open recording

5 to 7 show different stages in the production of a finished delivery tray,

6a shows a detail of FIG. 6 in an enlarged view,

7a shows a detail of FIG. 7 in an enlarged view,

Fig. 8 is a view of the tray with positioned containers in the state of delivery and Fig. 9 is a sectional view through a tray held in the tray. The invention is concerned with a drug packaging system - a

 Medication system - for providing medicaments in liquid, solid or pasty form, for example medicaments, which are in the form of powders, globules, pills, capsules, creams, liquids and the like. The use of the medication system of the invention to provide for each patient individually

Compound medicines are particularly beneficial, both in inpatient

Facilities, such as nursing homes, retirement homes, outpatient care services and the like, but also in the private sector. Above all, the nursing staff and the patients in inpatient institutions, but also pharmacies who perform the filling, benefited from the medication system according to the invention.

Main components of the medication system according to the invention are a drug tray 1 and a plurality of same executed containers 2, in which the medicines are packed in appropriate dosage to the respective administration time. As particularly shown in Fig. 8, each container 2 consists of a cup 3 and a lid 4, which is designed in a preferred embodiment as resealable lid. The cup 3 has a preferably round, in particular cylindrically executed foot 3a and subsequently to this an enlarging in the direction of its upper edge

Diameter up. The cup 3 consists of a preferably transparent

Plastic material and has, for example, a capacity for liquid of preferably 10 ml or 15 ml, however, up to a maximum of about 45 ml. The lid 4 has a the upper edge of the cup 3 encircling, adapted to the contour of this edge lid edge 5, which is a separate part of the cup 3 and with the upper edge of the cup 3 liquid-tight, but releasably connected. The lid edge 5 projects beyond the upper edge of the cup 3 to the outside and has an example, 2 mm to 4 mm wide, flat surface. In the finished state for delivery and use is located in the container 2 at least one liquid or solid drug, with the surface of the lid edge 5 a preferably transparent, the lid edge 5 spanning, the cup 3 closing lid sheet 6 sealed, in particular glued or welded, is as will be described in detail below, so that the medicaments are provided in containers 2 provided with removable and replaceable lids 4.

The preparation of the container 2 from cup 3 and lid edge 5 is carried out in a two-component injection molding process, wherein a dressing 7 from a number of cups 3, for example, seven cups 3, as shown in Fig. 5, respectively

Lid edge 5, but still without lidding film 6, is produced. The individual cups 3 of a bandage 7 are connected to each other at the lid edges 5 via local connections 8. For example, as shown in FIG. 5, these joints 8 may be thin, such as lands, between the lid edges 5 of adjacent cups 3. Other designs, such as thin skins, are also possible.

The plastic injection-molded tray 1 is designed substantially rectangular in plan view, its length is based on the number of containers 2 per association 7, his Width adapted to the number of associations 7. The tray 1 shown in the figures is provided for receiving four dressings 7 to seven containers 2. Even fewer or more than four associations, for example six associations 7, are possible. The tray 1 has a flat tray plate 9 with receiving points 10 for the individual containers 2 of

Associations 7 up. The receiving points 10 are in the embodiment shown openings in the tray plate 9, whose contours are adapted to the design and configuration and contour of the cup 3 at its upper edge region. The receiving points 10 are each circulated by a low elevation 11, to the outer contour of the

Cover edges 5 is adjusted so that when used cups 3, the surfaces of the lid edges 5 extend in a single plane, which is either slightly, by about 0.5 mm, above the level of the tray plate 9 or in the plane of the tray plate 9. At the inner edge region of the receiving points 10 are diametrically opposed

opposite two projections 12 are formed, below which snap when inserting the cup 3 projections 2a on the cup wall, so that the container 2 are secured in the tray 1 against accidental loss, but without special

 Force can be removed from the tray 1. Also, the cups 3 are secured in the receiving points 10 and held in position by the snap-in of the projections 2a, 12 during removal of the foil grid 17a (Fig.7), as will be described. At the two longer and at one of the end faces, the tray plate 9 is surrounded by a peripheral part 13, on which the tray 1 stands up when it is parked. The transition areas of the tray plate 9 to the edge portion 13 are rounded. The height of the edge portion 13 is such that the cups 3 positioned in the tray 1 remain within the edge portion 13 and on the

Bottom of the tray 1 is an up and zuklappbare plate-shaped receptacle 14 (Fig. 3, Fig. 4) is surrounded by the edge portion 13 in the folded state.

At the second end face of the tray plate 9, a front part 15 inclined to the tray plate 9 is formed, which provides fields 15a for individual labeling of the tray 1, for example with patient information. The preferably as a shallow

Wells executed fields 15a can be provided with stick-on or plug-in and removable labels labeled, with inserted labels are held by retaining lugs 15b. 4 shows the hinged receptacle 14, which is articulated in the region of the front part 15 opposite end of the tray 1 on the inside of the edge part 13 hingedly. In the embodiment shown in the figures, the receptacle 14 is substantially as a rectangular, with a number of openings - corresponding to the number of positionable in the tray 1

Container 2 - provided plate executed. By means of snap connections 16, the

Receiving 14, preferably close to the front part 15, are snapped on the inside of the edge portion 13. The snap connections 16 are in the embodiment shown on the edge of the receptacle 14 formed projections 16a, which releasably engage in correspondingly shaped openings 16b, which are formed on the inside of the edge portion 13 of the tray 1. The receptacle 14 is further provided with one of the inside of the tray 1 facing low edge 14 a, so that in the receptacle 14 a sheet with more

Information that is useful and necessary for administering the medication can be safely saved from loss. The steps until the preparation of the ready-for-delivery state of the medication tray will now be described below with reference to FIGS. 5 to 7. As shown in FIG. 5, the bandages 7 are first inserted into the receiving points 10 of the tray plate 9 of the tray 1. Subsequently, the individual containers 2 are filled with medicaments according to the intended medication of the patient concerned. In the next step, the container 2 is sealed with a plastic film 17. The film 17 consists in particular of a single-layer or multi-layer composite of PE, PP or PET, has a printable top, its bottom is as a sealing layer for liquid-tight sealing of the cup 3 through Gluing or welding, can be used. The film 17 is initially on a backing paper and is in accordance with the course of

Outer contours of the container 2 and the cover edges 5 with a number of

 6a, the slots are shown as solid lines As shown in Fig. 6a, between adjacent containers 2 of a dressing 7, the perforation is also a slot 18a Slide 17 essentially correspond to the

External dimensions of the tray plate 9. In the surface areas within the

Perforations 18, the sealing film 17 has already been printed with information about the contents of the container 2. After the backing paper is peeled off the film 17, this is placed on the tray plate 9. In this case, the film 17 is inserted within formed on the longitudinal edges of the plate 9 positioning tabs 9a.

In a cold or hot-sealing device, which is a welder or a

Adhesive device can be, which is not the subject of the invention, now the film 17 is sealed to the surfaces of the lid edges 5, within the perforations 18, in particular thermally welded or glued, wherein gluing can also be hot-melt bonding, contact bonding, reactive bonding, etc. , During the sealing process, a separation of the containers 2 or their lid edges 5 takes place at the same time by severing the connections 8, preferably in a thermal or mechanical manner. In the next

Step (Figure 7), the foil grid 17a, that part of the film 17 which has not been sealed, is peeled off along the perforations 18. The containers 2, now each sealed liquid-tight with the lid film 6 are held by the projections 12 in the tray 1 when removing the unsealed foil grid 17a. Tray 1 is now ready for delivery.

The trays 1 are designed such that they can be stacked on each other with and without container 2 to save space. Since the trays 1 are made by injection molding of plastic, they are easy to clean, preferably in dishwashers, and disinfected by means of commercial disinfectants.

The containers 2 are removed individually from the tray 1 at the intended time of medication, with the lid 4 being opened to remove the medicaments and placed back on the cup 3 as required.

In another embodiment, not shown, the cups 3 may be made in one piece with a rim portion having a surface for welding the foil 17. In this case, the containers can not be closed after peeling off the film. References list

1 tray

 2 containers

 2a lead

 3 cups

 3a feet

 Cover lid edge

 cover film

 Association

 connection

 Tray plate a Positioning tab 0 pickup points 1 elevation

 2 lead

 3 edge part

 4 recording

 4a edge

 5 front part

5a area

5b holding nose

6 snap connection6a projection

6b opening

 Plastic foil7a foil grid

8 perforation

8a slot

9 locking connection

Claims

 claims Medication system comprising a medication tray (1) having a substantially rectangular tray plate (9) with a number of in-line, separate and separate receiving points (10) and containers (2) containing a plurality of liquid or solid medication containing individually removably in the receiving sites (10) are positioned, wherein plastic film (17), which along the outer contours of the container (2) is provided with perforations, sealed with the container edges,  characterized,  in that the tray (1) is a plastic injection molded part, and that each container (2) is provided individually with a plastic film sealed to the container rim, which is provided by a single flexible, along the outer contours of the container (2) with perforations (18) Plastic film comes, which has been welded only along the container edges and their non-welded, a  Foil grid (17a) forming part has been deducted by severing in the region of the perforations (18). Medication system according to claim 1, characterized in that the containers (2) in the receiving points (10) of the tray plate (9) by means of at least one  Locking connection (19) are releasably positioned and re-usable. Medication system according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the receiving points (10) openings in the tray plate (9). 4. Medication system according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the latching connection (19) has at least one at the inner edge of the receiving point (10) formed projection (12) and at least one on the container (2) formed projection (2a). 5. Medication system according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that on the two longitudinal sides and preferably on an end face of the  Tray plate (9) to the tray plate (9) substantially perpendicular edge portion (13) is provided. 6. Medication system according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that at the edge part (13) of the tray plate (9) a lid-like receptacle (14), in particular for storage of revenue indications or patient information or the like can be pivoted up, wherein the receptacle (14 ) is releasably connected by means of a snap connection (16) with the edge part (13) of the tray (1). 7. Medication system according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that on an end face of the tray plate (9) an inclined front part (15) is formed with fields (15a) for attaching labels. 8. Medication system according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that each container (2) has a cup (3) on which a lid edge (5) with a in the plane or parallel to the plane of the tray plate (9) extending surface sits, with which the film (17) forming a film lid (6) is sealed. 9. Medication system according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that each container has a cup which has an edge region with a in the plane or parallel to the plane of the tray plate (9) extending surface, with which the film (17), forming a foil lid, sealed. A method of creating a ready-made medication system comprising a medication tray (1) having a substantially rectangular tray plate (9) with a number of in-line, discrete and separate receiving locations (10) for medication-receiving containers (2) the method comprising the steps of:  Inserting the containers (2) into the receiving points (10) of the tray plate (9), Filling the containers (2) with medicaments,  Positioning a single flexible plastic film (17) provided with perforations (18) along the outer contours of the containers (2), on the tray plate (9) and the containers (2),  Sealing the film (17) exclusively along the container edges, - Removing the non-welded, a foil grid (17 a) forming part of the film (17) from the tray (1) by severing in the region of the perforations (18). 11. The method according to claim 10, characterized in that when removing the foil grid (17a) each container (2) in the tray (1) by at least one of each container (2) and its receiving point formed locking connection (19) is held. 12. The method according to claim 10 or 11, characterized in that a number of several, arranged in a row, via connections (8) interconnected container (2) are used, wherein the compounds (8) are mechanically or thermally severed during the sealing process , 13. The method according to claim 10, characterized in that the sealing surfaces forming container edges lie in the plane of the tray plate (9). 14. The method according to claim 10, characterized in that the plastic film (17) is printed prior to positioning in the perforations (18) surrounding areas.