US5409125A — Unit dose container

Claim 1

Independent Claim 211 words

A liquid drug-containing thermoplastic unit dose container for engaging and transferring liquid to a syringe of a standard size appropriate for administering the particular drug, the syringe being of the type which has a central projecting cone, an outer peripheral wall surrounding the cone, and a bottom wall together defining an annular channel, wherein the outer peripheral wall contains an inwardly facing screw thread for engaging a needle fitting; wherein said container comprises: a body portion containing said dose; an outlet comprising a hollow neck portion sized to receive the cone of a mating syringe and to extend up into the annular channel, the neck portion having an outwardly facing surface, an internal surface and an outermost rim; and a removable, non-resealable cap secured to said rim for sealing the outlet; wherein the outwardly facing surface of the neck portion comprises a thread engagement portion for engaging the inwardly facing screw thread of the mating syringe, such that the cap may be removed and the syringe screwed onto the container neck portion, and wherein the neck portion includes means for providing a seal between the container and the syringe cone, when the syringe is screwed onto the container, so that liquid may be directly transferred from the container to the syringe.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 211 words

A liquid drug-containing thermoplastic unit dose container for engaging and transferring liquid to a syringe of a standard size appropriate for administering the particular drug, the syringe being of the type which has a central projecting cone, an outer peripheral wall surrounding the cone, and a bottom wall together defining an annular channel, wherein the outer peripheral wall contains an inwardly facing screw thread for engaging a needle fitting; wherein said container comprises: a body portion containing said dose; an outlet comprising a hollow neck portion sized to receive the cone of a mating syringe and to extend up into the annular channel, the neck portion having an outwardly facing surface, an internal surface and an outermost rim; and a removable, non-resealable cap secured to said rim for sealing the outlet; wherein the outwardly facing surface of the neck portion comprises a thread engagement portion for engaging the inwardly facing screw thread of the mating syringe, such that the cap may be removed and the syringe screwed onto the container neck portion, and wherein the neck portion includes means for providing a seal between the container and the syringe cone, when the syringe is screwed onto the container, so that liquid may be directly transferred from the container to the syringe.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 66 words

A container as defined in claim 1, wherein a portion of the internal surface of the neck portion has a diameter smaller than at least part of the outside surface of the cone and is deformable, and is positioned to contact the cone when the syringe is screwed onto the neck portion, thereby constituting the means for providing a seal between the container and syringe cone.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 53 words

A container as defined in claim 2, wherein the neck is in the shape of an inverted truncated cone, decreasing from a maximum diameter at the rim to a minimum diameter portion, and wherein the neck is sized and shaped so as to contact the syringe cone only at the minimum diameter portion.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 55 words

A container as defined in claim 3, wherein the neck includes a second truncated cone, having a minimum diameter portion facing and joining the minimum diameter portion of the inverted truncated cone, and wherein the neck is shaped so as to contact the syringe cone only at the minimum diameter portion joining the two cones.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 18 words

A container as defined in claim 3, wherein the minimum diameter portion is cylindrical, having a constant diameter.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 74 words

A container as defined in claim 1, for use with a syringe in which the outer peripheral wall has an inwardly facing surface, wherein the thread engagement portion comprises a shoulder on the outwardly facing surface of the neck, adjacent the rim, and has a diameter greater than the inwardly facing surface of the outer peripheral wall and is deformable, thereby constituting the means for providing a seal between the container and syringe cone.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 48 words

A container as defined in claim 1, wherein the neck is sized and shaped so that the neck rim contacts the syringe bottom wall, when the syringe is screwed completely onto the container neck, and comprises the means for providing a seal between the container and syringe cone.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 29 words

A container as defined in claim 1, wherein the body, in a region adjacent the neck, is hexagonal and includes a pair of opposed yokes for strengthening such region.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 202 words

In combination a syringe and a liquid drug-containing thermoplastic unit dose container for engaging and transferring liquid to the syringe, wherein the syringe comprises a central projecting cone, an outer peripheral wall surrounding the cone, and a bottom wall together defining an annular channel, wherein the outer peripheral wall contains an inwardly facing screw thread for engaging a needle fitting; and wherein said container comprises: a body portion containing said dose; an outlet comprising a hollow neck portion sized to receive the cone of the syringe and to extend up into the annular channel, the neck portion having an outwardly facing surface, an internal surface, and an outermost rim; and a removable, non-resealable cap secured to said rim for sealing the outlet; wherein the outwardly facing surface of the neck portion comprises a thread engagement portion for engaging the inwardly facing screw thread of the mating syringe, such that the cap may be removed and the syringe screwed onto the container neck portion, and wherein the neck portion includes means for providing a seal between the container and the syringe cone, when the syringe is screwed onto the container, so that liquid may be directly transferred from the container to the syringe.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 202 words

In combination a syringe and a liquid drug-containing thermoplastic unit dose container for engaging and transferring liquid to the syringe, wherein the syringe comprises a central projecting cone, an outer peripheral wall surrounding the cone, and a bottom wall together defining an annular channel, wherein the outer peripheral wall contains an inwardly facing screw thread for engaging a needle fitting; and wherein said container comprises: a body portion containing said dose; an outlet comprising a hollow neck portion sized to receive the cone of the syringe and to extend up into the annular channel, the neck portion having an outwardly facing surface, an internal surface, and an outermost rim; and a removable, non-resealable cap secured to said rim for sealing the outlet; wherein the outwardly facing surface of the neck portion comprises a thread engagement portion for engaging the inwardly facing screw thread of the mating syringe, such that the cap may be removed and the syringe screwed onto the container neck portion, and wherein the neck portion includes means for providing a seal between the container and the syringe cone, when the syringe is screwed onto the container, so that liquid may be directly transferred from the container to the syringe.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 65 words

The combination defined in claim 9, wherein a portion of the internal surface of the neck portion has a diameter smaller than at least part of the outside surface of the cone and is deformable, and is positioned to contact the cone when the syringe is screwed onto the neck portion, thereby constituting the means for providing a seal between the container and syringe cone.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 43 words

The combination defined in claim 10, wherein the neck is in the shape of an inverted truncated cone, decreasing to a minimum diameter portion, and wherein the neck is shaped so as to contact the syringe cone only at the minimum diameter portion.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 54 words

The combination defined in claim 11, wherein the neck includes a second truncated cone, having a minimum diameter portion facing and joining the minimum diameter portion of the inverted truncated cone, and wherein the neck is shaped so as to contact the syringe cone only at the minimum diameter portion joining the two cones.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 17 words

The combination defined in claim 11, wherein the minimum diameter portion is cylindrical, having a constant diameter.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 52 words

The combination defined in claim 11, wherein the cone of the syringe has an outlet end and tapers in diameter toward the outlet end, such that when the syringe is screwed onto the container neck, and the cone moves further into the neck, the seal formed at the minimum diameter region increases.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 70 words

The combination defined in claim 11, wherein the outer peripheral wall of the syringe has an inwardly facing surface, wherein the thread engagement portion comprises a shoulder on the outwardly facing surface of the neck, adjacent the rim, and has a diameter greater than the inwardly facing surface of the outer peripheral wall and is deformable, thereby constituting a means for providing an additional seal between the container and syringe.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 48 words

The combination defined in claim 15, wherein the neck is sized and shaped so that the neck rim contacts the syringe bottom wall, when the syringe is screwed completely onto the container neck, and comprises a means for creating an additional seal between the container and syringe cone.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 70 words

The combination defined in claim 9, wherein the outer peripheral wall of the syringe has an inwardly facing surface, wherein the thread engagement portion comprises a shoulder on the outwardly facing surface of the neck, adjacent the rim, and has a diameter greater than the inwardly facing surface of the outer peripheral wall and is deformable, thereby constituting the means for providing a seal between the container and syringe cone.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 28 words

The combination defined in claim 9, wherein the body, in a region adjacent the neck, is hexagonal and includes a pair of opposed yokes for strengthening such region.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 47 words

The combination defined in claim 9, wherein the neck is sized and shaped so that the neck rim contacts the syringe bottom wall, when the syringe is screwed completely onto the container neck, and comprises the means for providing a seal between the container and syringe cone.

Claim 22

Independent Claim 211 words

A method of providing a liquid drug dose to a syringe, comprising the steps of: providing a syringe having a central projecting cone, an outer peripheral wall surrounding the cone, and a bottom wall together defining an annular channel, wherein the outer peripheral wall contains an inwardly facing screw thread for engaging a needle fitting; providing a liquid drug-containing thermoplastic unit dose container comprising a body portion containing said dose; an outlet comprising a hollow neck portion sized to receive the cone of the syringe and to extend up into the annular channel, the neck portion having an outwardly facing surface, an internal surface, and an outermost rim; and a removable, non-resealable cap secured to said rim for sealing the outlet; wherein the outwardly facing surface of the neck portion comprises a thread engagement portion for engaging the inwardly facing screw thread of the mating syringe, and wherein the neck portion includes means for providing a seal between the container and the syringe cone, when the syringe is screwed onto the container; removing the cap from the container to expose the container rim; screwing the syringe onto the container neck so as to form a seal between the container and syringe cone, and transferring liquid from the container to the syringe.

Claim 23

Independent Claim 211 words

A method of providing a liquid drug dose to a syringe, comprising the steps of: providing a syringe having a central projecting cone, an outer peripheral wall surrounding the cone, and a bottom wall together defining an annular channel, wherein the outer peripheral wall contains an inwardly facing screw thread for engaging a needle fitting; providing a liquid drug-containing thermoplastic unit dose container comprising a body portion containing said dose; an outlet comprising a hollow neck portion sized to receive the cone of the syringe and to extend up into the annular channel, the neck portion having an outwardly facing surface, an internal surface, and an outermost rim; and a removable, non-resealable cap secured to said rim for sealing the outlet; wherein the outwardly facing surface of the neck portion comprises a thread engagement portion for engaging the inwardly facing screw thread of the mating syringe, and wherein the neck portion includes means for providing a seal between the container and the syringe cone, when the syringe is screwed onto the container; removing the cap from the container to expose the container rim; screwing the syringe onto the container neck so as to form a seal between the container and syringe cone, and transferring liquid from the container to the syringe.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1998-04-24	1998-10-24	1999-04-25	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	2002-04-24	2002-10-24	2003-04-25	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2006-04-24	2006-10-24	2007-04-25	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Unit dose container

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