Injection-molded container

Abstract

A one-piece, injection-molded, openable container for holding one or more vessels, comprises: (a) a holding section ( 1 ) for holding the said one or more vessels; (b) a closure section ( 2 ) movable between open and closed positions; and (c) an engagement means ( 5 ) for engaging, and so holding in place, the said one or more vessels when the closure section is in the closed position and disengaging, and thus allowing access to, the said one or more vessels when the closure section is in the open position, wherein the engagement means ( 5 ) comprises a leading edge having at least one indentation ( 7 ) for grasping a portion of each of the vessel(s).

1 . A one-piece, injection-molded, openable container for holding one or more vessels, comprising: 
 (a) a holding section ( 1 ) for holding the said one or more vessels;    (b) a closure section ( 2 ) movable between open and closed positions; and    (c) an engagement means ( 5 ) for engaging, and so holding in place, the said one or more vessels when the closure section ( 2 ) is in the closed position and disengaging, and thus allowing access to, the said one or more vessels when the closure section ( 2 ) is in the open position;    wherein the engagement means ( 5 ) comprises a leading edge having at least one indention ( 7 ) for grasping a portion of each of the vessel(s).    
     
     
         2 . A container as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the indentations ( 7 ) are of uniform and/or differing shape(s) and/or size(s), so as to be adapted to grasp vessels having portions of corresponding shape(s)/size(s).  
     
     
         3 . A container as claimed in either  claim 1  or  claim 2  further comprising a hinge section ( 4 ) connecting the holding and the closure sections.  
     
     
         4 . A container as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein the engagement means ( 5 ) is attached to the hinge section ( 4 ).  
     
     
         5 . A container as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the closure section ( 2 ) comprises securing means ( 6 ) for securing, and thus storing, one or more further items within the container, for example syringe(s), tubing, swab(s) and/or filter(s), without said further items contacting said one or more vessels.  
     
     
         6 . A container as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the vessel(s) are vials or ampules; optionally having tamper-indicating sealing means.  
     
     
         7 . A container as claimed in  claim 6 , wherein the securing means ( 6 ) is arranged to secure the further items in a stored location being in proximity with, but secured away from, the tamper-indicating sealing means of the vessel(s).  
     
     
         8 . A container as claimed in  claim 6 , wherein the indentations ( 7 ) are adapted to grasp either a body or a neck of the vial(s) or ampule(s).  
     
     
         9 . A container as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the holding section ( 1 ) comprises at least one partition dividing the container into at least two sub-compartments at least one of which is provided for holding one or more further items, such as instruction pamphlet(s).  
     
     
         10 . A container as claimed in any preceding claim, being constructed of polypropylene.  
     
     
         11 . A container as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the closure section ( 2 ) provides further storage space within the container, when the container is in the closed position.  
     
     
         12 . A kit for providing a medical or vetinary drug delivery system, comprising a container as claimed in any preceding claim together with one or more vessels, and optionally one or more syringe(s), instruction pamphlet(s), swab(s), filter(s) and/or section(s) of tubing.  
     
     
         13 . A kit as claimed in  claim 12 , wherein the vessel(s) are vials or ampules; optionally having a tamper-indicating sealing means.  
     
     
         14 . A container or kit substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and/or as illustrated by, the accompanying drawings.