Author: claimsbot

1. A process for the preparation of an agglomerated solid dosage form, comprising
(1) preparing an aqueous slurry of
(a) microcrystalline cellulose;
(b) a microcrystalline cellulose compressibility augmenting agent which
(I) physically restricts the proximity of the interface between adjacent cellulose surfaces;
(ii) inhibits interactions between adjacent cellulose surfaces, via the creation of a hydrophobic boundary at cellulose surfaces; or
(iii) accomplishes both (I) and (ii) above;

(c) an active agent; and
(d) an effective amount of a sustained release carrier;

(2) thereafter spray drying the resultant aqueous slurry in a manner which inhibits quasi-hornification, thereby obtaining agglomerated particles which are directly compressible into a solid sustained release matrix which provides release of the active agent over a time period of about 8 to about 24 hours.
2. The process of claim 1, further comprising compressing the agglomerated particles into a tablet.
3. The process of claim 1, wherein said compressibility augmenting agent is a surfactant having an HLB of at least about 10.
4. The process of claim 1, wherein said compressibility augmenting agent is a surfactant having an HLB of at least about 15.
5. The process of claim 1, wherein said compressibility augmenting agent is a surfactant having an HLB from about 15 to about 40.
6. The process of claim 5, wherein said compressibility augmenting agent is sodium lauryl sulfate.
7. The process of claim 5, wherein said compressibility augmenting agent is a polysorbate.
8. The process of claim 1, wherein said compressibility augmenting agent further comprises a silicon dioxide having an average primary particle size from about 1 nm to about 100 \u03bcm.
9. The process of claim 8, wherein said silicon dioxide is included in amount from about 0.1% to about 20% by weight, based on the weight of microcrystalline cellulose.
10. The process of claim 3, wherein said surfactant is included in amount from about 0.1% to about 20% by weight, based on the weight of microcrystalline cellulose.
11. The process of claim 9, wherein said silicon dioxide is colloidal silicon dioxide.
12. The process of claim 1, wherein said sustained release carrier is selected from the group consisting of an alkyl cellulose, an acrylic polymer or copolymer, a cellulose ether, a cellulose ester, and mixtures thereof.
13. The process of claim 1, wherein said sustained release carrier is selected from natural or a synthetic gums.
14. The process of claim 1, further comprising adding a film forming agent into the aqueous slurry, and drying the aqueous slurry in such a manner as to obtain agglomerated particles having a film coating.
15. The process of claim 14, further comprising compressing the agglomerated particles into tablets.
16. The process according to claim 1, wherein the aqueous slurry has a solids content from about 0.5 to about 25%, by weight prior to said spray drying step.
17. The process according to claim 1, wherein the aqueous slurry has a solids content from about 15 to about 20%, by weight prior to said spray drying step.
18. The product according to claim 1.
19. The process of claim 1, further comprising admixing a further amount of sustained release carrier with said agglomerated particles and compressing the resulting mixture into tablets.
20. The process of claim 19, further comprising wet granulating said mixture, and then compressing the resulting mixture into tablets.
21. The process of claim 19, further comprising adding a further amount of active ingredient to the mixture.
22. The process of claim 1, further comprising adding a pharmaceutically acceptable filler to the aqueous slurry.
23. The process of claim 22, wherein the pharmaceutically acceptable filler is selected from the group consisting of a monosaccharide, a dissacharide, a polyhydric alcohol, inorganic phosphates, sulfates, carbonates and mixtures thereof.
24. The process of claim 22, wherein the pharmaceutically acceptable filler is selected from the group consisting of sucrose, dextrose, lactose, xylitol, fructose, sorbitol, calcium phosphate, calcium sulfate, calcium carbonate, \u201coff-shelf\u201d microcrystalline cellulose and mixtures thereof.
25. The process of claim 1, wherein said sustained release carrier includes a release modifying agent that alters the release rate of the active agent from the formulation upon exposure to an aqueous medium.
26. The process of claim 25, wherein said release modifying agent is selected from the group consisting of calcium sulfate, sodium chloride, potassium sulfate, sodium bicarbonate, lithium chloride, tripotassium phosphate, sodium borate, potassium bromide, potassium fluoride, sodium bicarbonate, calcium chloride, magnesium chloride, sodium citrate, sodium acetate, calcium lactate, magnesium sulfate and sodium fluoride.
27. The process of claim 1, wherein the slurry includes a plurality of slurries, each of the plurality of slurries containing one of: a) a microcrystalline cellulose; or ii) a microcrystalline cellulose compressibility augmenting agent.
28. The process of claim 1, wherein said sustained release carrier is selected from the group consisting of a polylactide, a polyglycolide, a poly(lactide-co-glycolide), a polyanhydride, a polyorthoester, polycaprolactones, polyphosphazenes, polysaccharidcs, proteinaceous polymers, soluble derivatives of polysaccharides, soluble derivatives of proteinaceous polymers, polypeptides, polyesters and polyorthoesters.
29. A process for the preparation of a sustained release agglomerated solid dosage form, comprising
(1) preparing an aqueous slurry of
(a) microcrystalline cellulose;
(b) a microcrystalline cellulose compressibility augmenting agent comprising:
(i) silicon dioxide; or
(ii) a surfactant selected from the group consisting of sodium lauryl sulfate, docusate salts, alkyl carboxylates, acyl lactylates, alkyl ether carboxylates, N-acyl sarcosinates, polyvalent alkyl carbonates, N-acyl glutamates, fatty acids, polypeptide condensates sulfuric acid esters, polyoxyethylene compounds, lecithin, ethoxylated alcohols, ethoxylated esters, ethoxylated amides, polyoxypropylene compounds, propoxylated alcohols, ethoxylatedpropoxylated block polymers, propoxylated esters, alkanolamides, amine oxides, fatty acid esters of polyhydric alcohols, ethylene glycol esters, diethylene glycol esters, propylene glycol esters, glycerol esters, polyglycerol fatty acid esters, sorbitan esters, sucrose esters, glucose esters, simethicone, acacia, benzalkonium chloride, cholesterol, emulsifying wax, glycerol monostearate, lanolin alcohols, lecithin, poloxamer, polyoxyethylene and castor oil derivatives; or
(iii) a highly polar dye selected from the group consisting of 3,3\u2032-1,1\u2032Biphenyl-4,4\u2032-diylbis-(azo)bis4-amino-1-naphthalenesulfonic acid disodium salt; disodium salt of 6-hydroxy-5(2-4-sulfophenyl) azo-2-naphthalenesulfonic acid); 5-oxo-1-(p-sulfophenyl)-4sulfophenyl)azo-2-pyrazoline-3-carboxylic acid, trisodium salt); disodium salt of 1-p-sulphophenylazo-2-naphthol-6-sulfonic acid); trisodium-2-hydroxy-1-(4-sulfonato-1-naphthylazo) naphthalene-6, 8-disulfonate); disodium 4,4\u2032-(2,4-dihydroxy-5-hydroxymethyl-3, 3-phenylene bisazo)di(napthalene-1-sulfonate)); tetrasodium 4-acetamido-5-hyroxy-6-7-sulfonato-4-(4-sulfonatopheylazo)-1-naphthylazonaphthalene-1,7-disulfonate); disodium 4-hydroxy-3-(4-sulfanato-1-naphythylazo) Naphthalene-1-sulfonate); trisodluin 2-hydroxy-1-(4-sulfonato-1-naphthylazo) naphthalene-3,6-disulfonate) and mixtures thereof; or
(iv) a combination of two ro more of (I), (ii) and (iii) above;

(c) an active agent; and
(d) an effective amount of a sustained release carrier; and

(2) thereafter spray drying the resultant aqueous slurry in a manner which inhibits quasi-hornification, thereby obtaining agglomerated particles which are directly compressible into a solid sustained release matrix which provides release of the active agent over a time period of about 8 to about 24 hours.

The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.

1. A transmission apparatus, comprising:
an amplifier controller configured to determine a target value for an average optical input power of a transmitting amplifier in a transmitting-side apparatus of the transmission apparatus, based on an index based on a quality of transmission from an output of the transmitting amplifier to a receiving amplifier in a receiving-side apparatus of another transmission apparatus; and
a pre-emphasis controller configured to determine amounts of adjustment of transmission optical powers for respective wavelengths, based on the target value and per-wavelength reception optical powers at the receiving amplifier.
2. The transmission apparatus according to claim 1,
wherein the amplifier controller calculates an amount of tilt based on the per-wavelength reception optical powers at the receiving amplifier, and when the amount of tilt is larger than a present pre-emphasis controllable amount, the amplifier controller sets the target value to a smaller value than a present average optical input power of the transmitting amplifier.
3. The transmission apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:
an amplified spontaneous emission (ASE) calculator configured to calculate a cumulative ASE from the output of the transmitting amplifier to the receiving amplifier in the receiving-side apparatus; and
an optical signal-to-noise ratio (OSNR) calculator configured to calculate an OSNR from the output of the transmitting amplifier to the receiving amplifier in the receiving-side apparatus, based on the cumulative ASE,
wherein the amplifier controller uses the OSNR as the index.
4. The transmission apparatus according to claim 3,
wherein each of the transmitting-side apparatus of the transmission apparatus, the receiving-side apparatus of the another transmission apparatus, and a relay apparatus placed therebetween adds an ASE calculated by the each apparatus to an ASE received from a corresponding upstream apparatus and transfers a resulting ASE to a downstream apparatus, and the ASE calculator uses, as the cumulative ASE, an ASE transferred from the receiving-side apparatus.
5. The transmission apparatus according to claim 3,
wherein each of the transmitting-side apparatus of the transmission apparatus, the receiving-side apparatus of the another transmission apparatus, and a relay apparatus placed therebetween adds an ASE calculated by the each apparatus to an ASE received from a corresponding downstream apparatus and transfers a resulting ASE to a corresponding upstream apparatus, and the ASE calculator uses, as the cumulative ASE, an ASE transferred from an upstream apparatus immediately preceding the transmission apparatus.
6. The transmission apparatus according to claim 3,
wherein a network monitoring system adds ASEs calculated by the transmission apparatus, the receiving-side apparatus, and a relay apparatus placed therebetween and reports a resulting ASE to the ASE calculator, and the ASE calculator uses, as the cumulative ASE, the ASE reported from the network monitoring system.
7. The transmission apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a span-loss calculator configured to calculate a total span loss by adding span losses from the output of the transmitting amplifier to the receiving amplifier in the receiving-side apparatus,
wherein the amplifier controller uses the total span loss as the index.
8. A transmission system, comprising:
a transmitting-side apparatus, a receiving-side apparatus, and one or more relay apparatuses placed therebetween, the receiving-side apparatus monitoring per-wavelength reception optical powers at a receiving amplifier in the receiving-side apparatus and reporting the per-wavelength reception optical powers to the transmitting-side apparatus, and
the transmitting-side apparatus including:
an amplifier controller configured to determine a target value for an average optical input power of a transmitting amplifier, based on an index based on a quality of transmission from an output of the transmitting amplifier to the receiving amplifier in the receiving-side apparatus; and
a pre-emphasis controller configured to determine amounts of adjustment of transmission optical powers for respective wavelengths, based on the target value and per-wavelength reception optical powers at the receiving amplifier.
9. The transmission system according to claim 8, wherein
the amplifier controller calculates an amount of tilt based on the per-wavelength reception optical powers at the receiving amplifier, and when the amount of tilt is larger than a present pre-emphasis controllable amount, the amplifier controller sets the target value to a smaller value than a present average optical input power of the transmitting amplifier.
10. The transmission system according to claim 8, further comprising:
an amplified spontaneous emission (ASE) calculator configured to calculate a cumulative ASE from the output of the transmitting amplifier to the receiving amplifier in the receiving-side apparatus; and
an optical signal-to-noise ratio (OSNR) calculator configured to calculate an OSNR from the output of the transmitting amplifier to the receiving amplifier in the receiving-side apparatus, based on the cumulative ASE,
wherein the amplifier controller uses the OSNR as the index.
11. The transmission system according to claim 10, wherein
each of the transmitting-side apparatus, the receiving-side apparatus, and the relay apparatus adds an ASE obtained by the each apparatus to an ASE received from a corresponding upstream apparatus and transfers a resulting ASE to a corresponding downstream apparatus, and the transmitting-side apparatus uses, as the cumulative ASE, an ASE transferred from the receiving-side apparatus.
12. The transmission system according to claim 10, wherein
each of the transmitting-side apparatus, the receiving-side apparatus, and the relay apparatus adds an ASE obtained by the each apparatus to an ASE received from a corresponding downstream apparatus and transfers a resulting ASE to a corresponding upstream apparatus, and the transmitting-side apparatus uses, as the cumulative ASE, an ASE transferred from an upstream apparatus immediately preceding the transmitting-side apparatus.
13. The transmission system according to claim 10, further comprising a network monitoring system, wherein
the transmission apparatus, the receiving-side apparatus, and the relay apparatus reports ASEs calculated by the respective apparatuses to the network monitoring system,
the network monitoring system adds the reported ASEs and reports a resulting ASE to the ASE calculator in the transmitting-side apparatus, and
the ASE calculator uses, as the cumulative ASE, the ASE reported from the network monitoring system.
14. The transmission system according to claim 8, wherein
the transmitting-side apparatus further comprises a span-loss calculator configured to calculate a total span loss by adding span losses from the output of the transmitting amplifier to the receiving amplifier in the receiving-side apparatus, and
the amplifier controller uses the total span loss as the index.
15. A method of controlling average optical input power of a transmitting amplifier in a transmission apparatus, the method comprising:
determining, by an amplifier controller in the transmission apparatus, a target value for an average optical input power of the transmitting amplifier, based on an index based on a quality of transmission from an output of the transmitting amplifier to a receiving amplifier in a receiving-side apparatus; and
determining amounts of adjustment of transmission optical powers for respective wavelengths, based on the target value and per-wavelength reception optical powers at the receiving amplifier.
16. The method according to claim 15, wherein,
in the determining the target value, the amplifier controller sets the target value to a smaller value than a present average optical input power, as the quality of transmission indicated by the index decreases.
17. The method according to claim 15, wherein
an amplified spontaneous emission (ASE) calculator in the transmission apparatus calculates a cumulative ASE from the output of the transmitting amplifier to the receiving amplifier in the receiving-side apparatus;
an optical signal-to-noise ratio (OSNR) calculator in the transmission apparatus calculates an OSNR from the output of the transmitting amplifier to the receiving amplifier in the receiving-side apparatus, based on the cumulative ASE; and
the amplifier controller uses the OSNR as the index.
18. The method according to claim 17, wherein
each of the transmission apparatus, the receiving-side apparatus, and a relay apparatus placed therebetween adds an ASE obtained by the each apparatus to an ASE received from a corresponding upstream apparatus and transfers a resulting ASE to a corresponding downstream apparatus, and
the ASE calculator uses, as the cumulative ASE, an ASE transferred from the receiving-side apparatus.
19. The method according to claim 17, wherein
each of the transmission apparatus, the receiving-side apparatus, and a relay apparatus placed therebetween adds an ASE obtained by the each apparatus to an ASE received from a corresponding downstream apparatus and transfers a resulting ASE to a corresponding upstream apparatus; and
the ASE calculator uses, as the cumulative ASE, an ASE transferred from an upstream apparatus immediately preceding the transmission apparatus.
20. The method according to claim 17, wherein
a network monitoring system adds ASEs calculated by the transmission apparatus, the receiving-side apparatus, and a relay apparatus placed therebetween and reports a resulting ASE to the ASE calculator; and
the ASE calculator uses, as the cumulative ASE, the ASE reported from the network monitoring system.

1-46. (canceled)
47. A lighting system, comprising:
at least two strings of solid state lighting devices that are respectively configured to emit at least a first light and a second light, respectively;
at least two current supply circuits coupled to first and second strings of the at least two strings, respectively, each of the current supply circuits configured to supply an on-state drive current to a respective string of the at least two strings of solid state lighting devices in response to at least one control signal generated in response to a sensor output signal generated by at least one temperature sensor, each of the current supply circuits comprising:
a controller having a control input, a first control output configured to provide a first PWM control signal, and a second control output configured to provide a second PWM control signal; and
first and second output terminals coupled to the respective string of the at least two strings of solid state lighting devices.
48. The lighting system according to claim 47, further comprising a sense resistor coupled to the second output terminal of ones of the current supply circuits.
49. The lighting system according to claim 48,
wherein the controller further comprises a feedback input coupled to the sense resistor, and
wherein the controller is configured to activate the second control signal in response to a feedback signal received on the feedback input.
50. The lighting system according to claim 47, wherein the controller comprises a closed loop control system that is configured to generate the first and second PWM control signals in response to the sensor output signals generated by the at least one temperature sensor.
51. The lighting system according to claim 47, wherein ones of the at least two current supply circuits comprise a variable voltage boost, constant current power supply circuit configured to operate in continuous current mode.
52. The lighting system according to claim 47, wherein ones of the at least two current supply circuits comprise a voltage input terminal, and a control input terminal.
53. The lighting system according to claim 47, wherein ones of the at least two current supply circuits comprise a charging inductor coupled to the voltage input terminal and an output capacitor coupled to the first output terminal.
54. The lighting system according to claim 53, wherein the ones of the at least two current supply circuits are each configured to operate in continuous conduction mode in which current continuously flows through the charging inductor while the on-state drive current is supplied to the first and second strings, respectively.
55. The lighting system according to claim 53, wherein each of the current supply circuits comprises:
a rectifier having an anode coupled to the charging inductor and a cathode coupled to the output capacitor; and
a first control transistor coupled to the anode of the rectifier and having a control terminal coupled to the first control output of the controller,
wherein the first control transistor is configured to cause the charging inductor to be energized in response to the first PWM control signal from the controller and to cause energy stored in the charging inductor to be discharged through the rectifier and into the output capacitor in response to the first PWM control signal.
56. The lighting system according to claim 55, further comprising a second control transistor coupled to the second output terminal of the current supply circuit and having an input coupled to the second control output of the controller;
wherein the second control transistor is configured to cause a voltage stored in the output capacitor to be applied to the first output terminal of the current supply circuit in response to the second PWM control signal from the controller.
57. The lighting system according to claim 56, wherein ones of the current supply circuits further comprise:
a low pass filter between the second control output and the second control transistor.
58. The lighting system according to claim 53, wherein the charging inductor has an inductance of about 50 \u03bcH to about 1.3 mH.
59. The lighting system according to claim 53, wherein the charging inductor has an inductance of about 680 \u03bcH.
60. The lighting system according to claim 47, wherein the sensor output signal comprises a first sensor output signal, further comprising a light sensor that generates a second sensor output signal responsive to light output by the lighting system,
wherein the at least one control signal comprises the first sensor output signal and the second output sensor signal.
61. The lighting system according to claim 47, wherein ones of the current supply circuits are configured to convert at least about 85% of input power into output power.
62. The lighting system according to claim 47, wherein ones of the current supply circuits are configured to convert at least about 90% of input power into output power.
63. A lighting system, comprising:
a lighting panel including at least first and second strings of solid state lighting devices that are respectively configured to emit at least a first light and a second light, respectively;
at least first and second current supply circuits coupled to the at least first and second strings of solid state lighting devices, respectively, and configured to supply an on-state drive current to a respective one of the first and second strings of solid state lighting devices, wherein the first current supply circuit is responsive to at least one control signal generated in response to a feedback signal generated from the second string of solid state devices,
64. The lighting system according to claim 63,
wherein each of the first and second current supply circuits comprises a variable voltage boost, constant current power supply circuit configured to operate in continuous current mode; and
a pulse width modulation (PWM) controller that is coupled to the current supply circuits and that is configured to generate, for ones of the first and second current supply circuits, a first PWM control signal and a second PWM control signal that are supplied to the at least first and second strings, respectively,
65. The lighting system according to claim 64, wherein each of the first and second current supply circuits comprises:
a temperature sensor that is configured to generate a sensor output signal that the PWM controller uses to generate the first PWM signal or the second PWM signal, and
a sense resistor that is coupled to an output terminal of the current supply circuit and that is configured to provide a feedback signal to the PWM controller.
66. The lighting system according to claim 63, wherein each of the first and second current supply circuits comprises a sense resistor that is coupled to an output terminal of the respective one of the first and second current supply circuits and that is coupled to a feedback input to provide the feedback signal to provide closed loop control.
67. The lighting system according to claim 66, further comprising a filter coupled to the sense resistor, the filter configured to filter the feedback input.
68. The lighting system according to claim 63,
wherein the first string of solid state lighting devices are coated with a wavelength conversion phosphor and are configured to emit the first light that includes a combined light including a dominant wavelength corresponding to a blue color and a dominant wavelength corresponding to a yellow color, and
wherein the second string of solid state lighting devices are configured to emit the second light that includes a dominant wavelength corresponding to a red color.
69. The lighting system according to claim 68, wherein the first current supply circuit provides current control of the first string of solid state lighting devices that is independent of current control of the second string of solid state lighting devices provided by the second current supply circuit.
70. The lighting system according to claim 68, further comprising a third string of solid state lighting devices that are configured to emit a third light that includes a dominant wavelength corresponding to a red color.
71. The lighting system according to claim 70, further comprising a third current supply circuit that is configured to supply an on-state drive current to the third string of solid state lighting devices, and
wherein the first current supply circuit provides current control of the first string of solid state lighting devices that is independent of current control of the second string of solid state lighting devices provided by the second current supply circuit and that is independent of current control of the third string of solid state lighting devices provided by the third current supply circuit.

The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.

1. A method of vacuum thermoforming a container which includes an outer surface including an outwardly-projecting ridge, the container further including a base, side walls, and an inwardly-projecting cut lip, the method comprising:
(a) providing a three-part mold defining a cavity conforming in shape to the outer surface of the container, the cavity including an undercut portion corresponding to the ridge of the container, the mold including separable first, second and third portions, the first portion including a planar upper surface and an upper lip, the first portion defining an upper part of the undercut portion, the second portion defining a lower part of the undercut portion and further defining a surface corresponding to the side walls of the container, the first and second portions of the mold being separable along a part line located along the ridge of the container, the third portion defining a surface corresponding to the base of the container, the cavity being shaped so that the separated thermoplastic material is a shell having a base surrounded by integrally formed side walls extending upward to a cut lip, the walls and base formed of a single thermoplastic sheet and defining a volume, the side walls including a ridge below the cut lip, the ridge protruding away from the volume and being sized to support the shell on a lower surface of the ridge against a cut lip of a second identical shell with the bases of the two shells spaced apart when the shell is nested within the second identical shell, the cut lip extending inward about the volume;
(b) positioning a heated sheet of thermoplastic material over the mold;
(c) drawing the heated sheet of thermoplastic material over the upper lip of the mold and down into the cavity and into the undercut portion of the mold;
(d) allowing the drawn thermoplastic material to cool below its glass transition temperature;
(e) after said allowing, cutting the thermoplastic material along the upper lip of the mold to separate the drawn thermoplastic material in the mold cavity from the remainder of the thermoplastic material to produce the thermoformed container;
(f) separating the first, second, and third portions of the mold whereby the second and third portions move downwardly away from the first portion until the third portion contacts an ejector plug, the second portion thereafter continuing downward until clear of the thermoformed container; and
(g) removing the thermoformed container from the second and third portions of the mold.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein the cavity includes at least one ejector pin for pushing the formed thermoplastic material from the cavity prior to said removing.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein the cavity is shaped so that the ridge has at least one wall obtusely angled with respect to an adjoining portion of the side wall so that a gap is formed between ridges of the two shells when they are nested.
4. The method of claim 1 wherein the cavity is shaped so that the upwardly extending walls include a ridge below the cut lip, the ridge protruding away from the volume and extending around the entire periphery of the upwardly extending walls.
5. The method of claim 1 wherein said removing is between the first and second portions.
6. The method of claim 1 wherein said cutting is before said separating.
7. The method of claim 1 wherein said cutting is after said allowing.
8. A method of vacuum thermoforming a container which includes an outer surface including an outwardly-projecting ridge, a base, side walls, and an inwardly-projecting cut lip, the method comprising:
providing a three-part mold defining a cavity conforming in shape to the outer surface of the container, the cavity including an undercut portion corresponding to the ridge of the container, the mold including separable first, second and third portions, the first portion including a planar upper surface and an upper lip, the first portion defining an upper part of the undercut portion, the second portion defining a lower part of the undercut portion and further defining a surface corresponding to the side walls of the container, the first and second portions of the mold being separable along a part line located along the ridge of the container, the third portion defining a surface corresponding to the base of the container, the cavity being shaped so that the separated thermoplastic material is a shell having a base surrounded by integrally formed side walls extending upward to a cut lip, the walls and base formed of a single thermoplastic sheet and defining a volume, the side walls including a ridge below the cut lip, the ridge protruding away from the volume and being sized to support the shell on a lower surface of the ridge against a cut lip of a second identical shell with the bases of the two shells spaced apart when the shell is nested within the second identical shell, the cut lip extending inward about the volume;
positioning a heated sheet of thermoplastic material over the mold;
drawing the heated sheet of thermoplastic material over the mold and into the cavity and into the undercut portion of the mold;
allowing the drawn thermoplastic material to cool below its glass transition temperature;
after said allowing, cutting the cooled thermoplastic material along the upper lip of the mold to separate the drawn thermoplastic material in the mold cavity from the remainder of the thermoplastic material;
separating the first, second, and third portions of the mold whereby the second and third portions move downwardly away from the first portion until the third portion contacts an ejector plug, the second portion thereafter continuing downward until clear of the thermoformed container; and
removing the thermoformed container from the second and third portions of the mold.
9. The method of claim 8 wherein said cutting is before said separating.