IP Library Granted Patent US 8,640,873
Granted Patent B2
US 8,640,873 · App. 12/937,470 · Granted Feb 4, 2014

Plastic ampule

Inventors: Hideshi Nakano (Osaka, JP); Hideo Nishimura (Osaka, JP)
Assignee: Nippon Zoki Pharamaceutical Co., Ltd.
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,640,873
App. No.
12/937,470
Granted
Feb 4, 2014
Kind
B2
Abstract

A plastic ampule comprising a body portion, a head portion provided continuously to the mouth portion of the body portion through a cut-off portion, and a knob portion provided continuously to the head portion the ampule being unsealed by twisting the knob portion with fingers to cut the head portion off the mouth portion, wherein the hollow portion in the head portion is formed in the shape of a bowl. Since the hollow portion is formed in the shape of a bowl, content liquid remaining in the hollow portion can be discharged easily, the plastic ampule can be unsealed easily, and the content liquid remaining in the hollow portion is not scattered easily at the time of unsealing.

Claims (36)

1. A plastic ampule comprising:

a body portion substantially formed of a cylinder shape;

a head portion substantially formed of a semispherical bowl shape continuously to a mouth portion of the body portion via a cut-off portion; and

a part of the head portion that is formed continuously to the cut-off portion has a wall thickness thicker than a wall thickness of the cut-off portion; and

a knob portion formed continuously to the head portion, wherein

the plastic ampule is unsealed by twisting the knob portion and cutting the head portion off the mouth portion at the cut-off portion,

an upper part of the mouth portion has a smaller diameter than a lower part of the mouth portion to form a shoulder portion,

a curved inner portion of the upper part of the mouth portion decreases in diameter as the curved inner portion approaches the cut-off portion, and

a substantially arc-shaped inner surface of a hollow portion in the head portion decreases in diameter as the arc-shaped inner surface approaches the cut-off portion, such that the inner surface of the hollow portion in the head portion and the inner surface of the mouth portion have equivalent diameters at the cut-off portion.

2. The plastic ampule according to claim 1 , wherein the part of the head portion formed continuously to the cut-off portion has a wall thickness of substantially 1.2 times to 1.8 times thicker than the wall thickness of the cut-off portion.

3. The plastic ampule according to claim 1 , wherein

the hollow portion has a minimum vertical dimension of 3 mm to 10 mm, a maximum vertical dimension of substantially 4 mm to 13 mm, and a maximum horizontal dimension of substantially 8 mm to 12 mm, and

an opening portion formed on the head portion when the head portion is cut off from the mouth portion has an inner diameter of substantially 4 mm to 7 mm.

4. The plastic ampule according to claim 1 , wherein

the hollow portion has a minimum vertical dimension of 4 mm to 10 mm, a maximum vertical dimension of substantially 5 mm to 13 mm, and a maximum horizontal dimension of substantially 9 mm to 11 mm, and

an opening portion formed on the head portion when the head portion is cut off from the mouth portion has an inner diameter of substantially 5 mm to 6 mm.

5. The plastic ampule according to claim 1 , wherein the plastic ampule is manufactured by a blow-fill-seal method.

6. The plastic ampule according to claim 5 , wherein a plastic ampule block is formed by continuously forming a plurality of the plastic ampules via a thin-walled portion for division.

7. A plastic ampule filled with a drug solution comprising:

a body portion substantially formed of a cylinder shape;

a head portion substantially formed of a semispherical bowl shape continuously to a mouth portion of the body portion via a cut-off portion; and

a part of the head portion that is formed continuously to the cut-off portion has a wall thickness thicker than a wall thickness of the cut-off portion; and

a knob portion formed continuously to the head portion, wherein

the plastic ampule is unsealed by twisting the knob portion and cutting the head portion off from the mouth portion at the cut-off portion,

an upper part of mouth portion decreases in diameters than the mouth portion to form a shoulder portion,

a curved inner surface of the upper part of the mouth portion decreases in diameter as the curved inner surface approaches the cut-off portion, and

a substantially arc-shaped inner surface of a hollow portion in the head portion decreases in diameter as the arc-shaped inner surface approaches the cut-off portion, such that the inner surface of the hollow portion in the head portion and the inner surface of the mouth portion have equivalent diameters at the cut-off portion.

8. The plastic ampule filled with a drug solution according to claim 7 , wherein the part of the head portion formed continuously to the cut-off portion has a wall thickness of substantially 1.2 times to 1.8 times thicker than the wall thickness of the cut-off portion.

9. The plastic ampule filled with a drug solution according to claim 7 , wherein

the hollow portion has a minimum vertical dimension of 3 mm to 10 mm, a maximum vertical dimension of substantially 4 mm to 13 mm, and a maximum horizontal dimension of substantially 8 mm to 12 mm, and

an opening portion formed on the head portion when the head portion is cut off from the mouth portion has an inner diameter of substantially 4 mm to 7 mm.

10. The plastic ampule filled with a drug solution according to claim 7 , wherein

the hollow portion has a minimum vertical dimension of 4 mm to 10 mm, a maximum vertical dimension of substantially 5 mm to 13 mm, and a maximum horizontal dimension of substantially 9 mm to 11 mm, and

an opening portion formed on the head portion when the head portion is cut off from the mouth portion has an inner diameter of substantially 5 mm to 6 mm.

11. The plastic ampule filled with a drug solution according to claim 7 , wherein the plastic ampule is manufactured by a blow-fill-seal method.

12. The plastic ampule filled with a drug solution according to claim 11 , wherein a plastic ampule block is formed by continuously forming a plurality of the plastic ampules via a thin-walled portion for division.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 12, 2010
From: NAKANO, HIDESHI; NISHIMURA, HIDEO
To: NIPPON ZOKI PHARMACEUTICAL CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 025135/0312 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2008-115401 · Apr 25, 2008 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20110031157A1 · Feb 10, 2011