US 12,465,552 B2
Supporting structure for concurrently supporting a plurality of containers for substances for pharmaceutical, medical or cosmetic applications, and transport structure comprising the same
Christian Komann, Speicher (CH); David Hilber, Uzwil (CH); and Markus Renz, Riehen (CH)
Assigned to SCHOTT Pharma Schweiz AG, St. Gallen (CH)
Filed by SCHOTT Pharma Schweiz AG, St. Gallen (CH)
Filed on Jul. 1, 2024, as Appl. No. 18/760,780.
Application 18/760,780 is a continuation of application No. 16/411,904, filed on May 14, 2019, abandoned.
Claims priority of application No. 10 2018 111 491.5 (DE), filed on May 14, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2024/0350362 A1, Oct. 24, 2024
Int. Cl. A61J 1/16 (2023.01); A61J 7/00 (2006.01); B65B 43/54 (2006.01); B65D 1/36 (2006.01); B65D 71/70 (2006.01); B01L 9/06 (2006.01)
CPC A61J 1/16 (2013.01) [A61J 7/0069 (2013.01); B65B 43/54 (2013.01); B65D 1/36 (2013.01); B65D 71/70 (2013.01); B01L 9/06 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A supporting structure for concurrently supporting a plurality of containers for substances for pharmaceutical, medical or cosmetic applications, the supporting structure comprising:
a plurality of receptacles configured to receive the containers, the receptacles being arranged in a regular arrangement and formed by side-walls which are each of circumferential construction, the receptacles being polygonal in shape when viewed in a plan view, a side-wall is formed as a common partition wall between respective two directly adjacent receptacles of the plurality of receptacles, a lower end of each receptacle connecting to a respective end ring;
an upper side formed as a plate-shaped carrier, the side-walls and the receptacles projecting perpendicularly from the plate-shaped carrier; and
a plurality of holding protrusions, each of the holding protrusions being provided at the lower end of a respective one of the receptacles and protruding radially inwards into the respective receptacle, each of the holding protrusions being cantilevered to the respective end ring of the respective receptacle and extending about a portion of a circumference of the respective receptacle, wherein each end ring comprises a central opening, wherein lower ends of the side-walls of the receptacles jointly span a plane extending in parallel with an upper side of the supporting structure, the end rings projecting beyond the plane jointly spanned by the lower ends of the side-walls, wherein an outer diameter of the end rings is smaller than a minimum opening width of the receptacles on an upper side of the supporting structure, so that a plurality of supporting structures of identical configuration are arrangeable in a stacked arrangement in which the end rings of an upper supporting structure are inserted into upper ends of the receptacles of an underneath lower supporting structure.