Methods and assemblies for packaging containers for compositions containing active ingredients
Described is a holding system comprising a plurality of container bodies and a plurality of caps, each of the plurality of caps being configured for closing a respective corresponding one of the plurality of container bodies; and a supporting structure for concurrently and separately supporting the plurality of container bodies and the plurality of caps in an organized arrangement, the plurality of container bodies being configured for receiving one or more ingredient for medical, pharmaceutical, cosmetic, or recreational applications. The holding system may be suitable for manual, semi-automated, or automated operations.
1 . A holding arrangement, comprising:
a. a cap-and-nozzle assembly for a dropper bottle having a container body and a mouth configured to receive the cap-and-nozzle assembly, the cap-and-nozzle assembly comprising a cap configured to be releasably attachable to the container body and a nozzle configured to allow a composition in the container body to be dispensed through the nozzle; and
b. a supporting structure including a cap-supporting recess configured to receive the cap-and-nozzle assembly, the cap-and-nozzle assembly being oriented when received in the cap supporting recess such that the cap resides above the nozzle, wherein:
i the cap-and-nozzle assembly is releasably engaged in the cap-supporting recess,
ii the nozzle is separable from the cap and it is nested inside the cap while the cap is engaged in the cap-supporting recess, and
iii the cap-and-nozzle assembly is configured to be removable from the cap-supporting recess with the nozzle retained within the cap, and placed onto the container body of the dropper bottle such that tightening of the cap on the container body causes the nozzle to attach to the mouth of the container body.
2 . The holding arrangement as defined in claim 1 , wherein the cap, when engaged in the cap-supporting recess is configured to maintain the nozzle in a sterile condition.
3 . The holding arrangement as defined in claim 1 , wherein the supporting structure is configured to hold the cap-and-nozzle assembly in the cap-supporting recess to prevent the cap-and-nozzle assembly from dropping out of the cap-supporting recess by gravity.
4 . The holding arrangement as defined in claim 3 , wherein the cap-supporting recess is generally circular.
5 . The holding arrangement as defined in claim 3 , wherein the cap-supporting recess includes a side wall and a bottom wall.
6 . The holding arrangement as defined in claim 5 , wherein the supporting structure includes a top surface in which is provided the cap-supporting recess.
7 . The holding arrangement as defined in claim 6 , wherein at least a portion of the cap-and-nozzle assembly received in the cap-supporting recess projects from the top surface.
8 . The holding arrangement as defined in claim 7 , wherein the cap is generally cylindrically shaped and engages the side wall.
9 . The holding arrangement as defined in claim 7 , including a plurality of cap retention elements in the cap-supporting recess configured to frictionally engage the cap to maintain the cap in the cap-supporting recess.
10 . The holding arrangement as defined in claim 9 , wherein the cap retention elements are angularly disposed in the cap-supporting recess.
11 . The holding arrangement as defined in claim 10 , wherein each of the plurality of cap retention elements includes a protrusion, projecting into the cap-supporting recess.
12 . The holding arrangement as defined in claim 11 , wherein each of the plurality of cap retention elements extends along a portion of a depth of the cap-supporting recess.
13 . The holding arrangement as defined in claim 10 , wherein each of the plurality of cap retention elements is sloped.
14 . The holding arrangement as defined in claim 13 , wherein the plurality of cap retention elements project inwardly from the side wall of the cap-supporting recess.
15 . The holding arrangement as defined in claim 9 , wherein the cap-supporting recess includes a post projecting from the bottom wall.
16 . The holding arrangement as defined in claim 15 , wherein the post is configured to position the cap within the cap-supporting recess.
17 . The holding arrangement as defined in claim 16 , wherein the post has a transverse dimension which diminishes with an increasing distance from the bottom wall of the cap-supporting recess.
18 . The holding arrangement as defined in claim 1 , wherein the cap-supporting recess is one of a plurality of cap-supporting recesses, and the supporting structure includes the plurality of cap-supporting recesses in which are mounted respective cap-and-nozzle assemblies.
19 . The holding arrangement as defined in claim 18 , wherein the supporting structure includes a top surface in which are provided the plurality of supporting recesses, the top surface including a channel joining two adjacent cap-supporting recesses.
20 . The holding arrangement as defined in claim 19 , comprising a lid configured for mating with a peripheral portion projecting from the top surface for enclosing the cap-and-nozzle assemblies.
21 . The holding arrangement as defined in claim 20 , including a sealing arrangement for assembling the lid with the peripheral portion such that an interior of the supporting structure remains substantially sealed from an environment.
22 . The holding arrangement as defined in claim 15 , wherein the lid and the peripheral portion are configured to be separated and assembled repeatedly.
23 . The holding arrangement as defined in claim 22 , wherein the lid and the peripheral portion define mating flanges.
24 . The holding arrangement as defined in claim 22 , comprising protrusions and corresponding recesses which cooperate with each other to fasten the lid to the peripheral portion.
25 . The holding arrangement as defined in claim 23 , wherein the cap-and-nozzle assemblies when fully received in respective cap-supporting recesses project above the top surface.
26 . The holding arrangement as defined in claim 1 , wherein the supporting structure includes a cap supporting region comprising a plurality of cap-supporting recesses including the cap-supporting recess, the cap-supporting recesses receiving corresponding cap-and-nozzle assemblies and a container-supporting region configured to receive container bodies of dropper bottles.
27 . The holding arrangement as defined in claim 26 , wherein the container-supporting region comprises a plurality of container-supporting recesses receiving respective container bodies.