US 12,351,350 B2
Filling systems and related container assemblies and methods
Benjamin Eldridge, Danville, CA (US); and Igor Khandros, Orinda, CA (US)
Assigned to NUTCRACKER THERAPEUTICS, INC., Emeryville, CA (US)
Appl. No. 18/269,522
Filed by NUTCRACKER THERAPEUTICS, INC., Emeryville, CA (US)
PCT Filed Dec. 27, 2021, PCT No. PCT/IB2021/062331
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Jun. 23, 2023,
PCT Pub. No. WO2022/144746, PCT Pub. Date Jul. 7, 2022.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/131,675, filed on Dec. 29, 2020.
Claims priority of application No. 2027499 (NL), filed on Feb. 4, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2024/0092512 A1, Mar. 21, 2024
Int. Cl. B65B 3/00 (2006.01); A61J 1/05 (2006.01); B65B 55/02 (2006.01); B65D 21/02 (2006.01)
CPC B65B 3/003 (2013.01) [A61J 1/05 (2013.01); B65B 55/027 (2013.01); B65D 21/02 (2013.01)] 18 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A container assembly, comprising:
a container array comprising containers having distal ends;
covers coupled to the respective distal ends of the containers;
a framework integral with 1) the containers, 2) the covers, or 3) both, the framework coupling the containers together; and
a fluidic network including fluidic channels that are defined by the framework and enable the containers to be filled in series or in parallel,
wherein the framework includes the covers, and wherein each cover includes layers, between which one or more of the fluidic channels are defined,
wherein the containers comprise container tabs and the covers comprise cover tabs, the cover tabs coupling pairs of the covers together.
 
14. A method, comprising:
flowing a liquid through a fluidic network of a framework unitary with: 1) containers of a container assembly, 2) covers covering respective ends of the containers, or 3) both;
filling the containers of the container assembly with the liquid using the fluidic network in series or in parallel,
wherein the framework includes layers defining fluidic channels of the fluidic network, and wherein filling the containers of the container assembly includes flowing the liquid through the fluidic channels between the layers,
wherein the covers comprise the layers and wherein filling the containers of the container assembly includes flowing the liquid through the fluidic channels of the cover, and sealing a portion of the fluidic channels to isolate the liquid within the containers.