Moulding assembly and method for producing a syringe body

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10800077-B2
Application number	US-201615546491-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 5, 2016
Priority date	Feb 6, 2015
Publication date	Oct 13, 2020
Grant date	Oct 13, 2020

Abstract

A molding assembly for manufacturing a syringe barrel, each syringe barrel provided with a cannula and having a cylindrical portion and a hub portion to which the cannula is fastened. A mold unit is provided having a first mold portion, a second mold portion axially movable relative to the first mold portion between an open position and a closed position, and a core situated in the mold cavity; and a clip unit for the cannula movable between an open position in which a cannula can be loaded in a proximal axial end of the clip, and a closed position. The clip unit is axially movable so as to arrange a cannula in the mold cavity, the movement of the clip being independent of the axial movement of the first and second mold portions between the open and closed positions of the mold unit.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A molding assembly for manufacturing at least one syringe barrel, each syringe barrel being provided with a cannula, each syringe barrel comprising a cylindrical portion and a hub portion to which said cannula is fastened, the molding assembly being characterized in that it comprises:
at least one mold unit, each mold unit comprising a first mold portion, a second mold portion that is axially movable relative to said first mold portion between an open position and a closed position in which said first and second mold portions co-operate with each other to define a mold cavity between them, and a core that is situated in said mold cavity so as to define the shape of said syringe barrel; and
at least one clip unit for clipping the cannula, each clip unit comprising a clip that is movable between an open position in which a cannula can be loaded in a proximal axial end of said clip, and a closed position in which said cannula is held in said clip, said clip unit being axially movable relative to said mold unit so as to arrange a cannula in said mold cavity, the movement of said clip between its open and closed positions being independent of the axial movement of said first and second mold portions between the open and closed positions of said mold unit.

2. A molding assembly according to claim 1 , wherein each clip unit includes an actuator element that is axially movable between a closed position and an open position, said actuator element being adapted to move said clip between said closed and open positions.

3. A molding assembly according to claim 2 , wherein said actuator element includes a frustoconical proximal axial end that co-operates with a distal axial end of said clip, said distal axial end of said clip having a hollow conical shape that is complementary to said frustoconical proximal axial end of said actuator element, such that axial movement of said actuator element causes radial movement of said clip between said closed and open positions.

4. A molding assembly according to claim 2 , including at least one control member that co-operates with said actuator element of said at least one clip unit, so as to move said actuator element between its closed and open positions.

5. A molding assembly according to claim 2 , wherein each clip is urged resiliently towards its closed position.

6. A molding assembly according to claim 1 , further comprising at least one cannula-loading unit that is adapted to load a respective cannula into a respective clip unit.

7. A molding assembly according to claim 6 , wherein said at least one clip unit is mounted on a pendular arm that is adapted to move said at least one clip unit transversally between a cannula-loading first position in which said at least one cannula-loading unit loads a respective cannula in said at least one clip unit, and a molding second position in which said at least one clip unit is adapted to arrange said cannula in a respective mold unit.

8. A molding assembly according to claim 7 , wherein said molding assembly includes two mold units, two cannula-loading units, and four clip units, said four clip units being mounted in pairs on said pendular arm, such that there is always one clip unit facing each cannula-loading unit and each mold unit.

9. A molding assembly according to claim 8 , wherein said molding assembly further includes control members, each of which co-operates with a first clip unit in said cannula-loading first position of said pendular arm, and with a second clip unit in said molding second position of said pendular arm.

10. A molding assembly according to claim 6 , wherein said at least one cannula-loading unit is fastened on said second mold portion.

11. A molding assembly according to claim 1 , wherein each clip includes a recess that receives the perforating tip of the cannula in all positions, such that no stress is exerted on said perforating tip while loading said cannula into said clip by said cannula-loading unit, while moving said clip, and while molding said syringe barrel around said cannula by said mold unit.

12. A molding assembly according to claim 1 , wherein each mold unit includes a positioner member that co-operates with the axial end of the cannula that is remote from said perforating tip, so as to ensure that said cannula is positioned accurately in said mold unit while molding the syringe barrel 10 .

13. A method of manufacturing a syringe barrel provided with a cannula, said syringe barrel comprising a cylindrical portion and a hub portion on which said cannula is fastened, the manufacturing method being characterized in that it comprises the following steps:
providing a clip unit including a clip that is movable between a closed position and an open position;
opening said clip by means of an actuator element of said clip unit, said actuator element being controlled by a control member;
loading a cannula ( 20 ) into said open clip by means of a cannula-loading unit;
closing said clip on said cannula;
moving said clip unit containing said cannula sideways to face a mold unit comprising a first mold portion and a second mold portion that is axially movable relative to said first mold portion between an open position and a closed position in which said first and second mold portions co-operate with each other to define a mold cavity between them, a core being situated in said mold cavity so as to define the shape of said syringe barrel;
moving said clip unit containing said cannula axially relative to said mold unit, so as to insert said cannula into said mold unit;
injecting synthetic material into said mold unit so as to mold said syringe barrel around said cannula;
opening said clip by means of said actuator element of said clip unit, said actuator element being controlled by a control member; and
opening said mold unit so as to eject said syringe barrel molded around said cannula.

14. A method according to claim 13 , wherein said step of moving said clip unit containing said cannula axially relative to said mold unit so as to insert said cannula into said mold unit is performed as follows:
opening said mold unit by moving said second mold portion axially relative to said first mold portion;
inserting said clip unit into said second mold portion; and
closing said mold unit by moving said second mold portion, together with said clip unit, axially relative to said first mold portion.

15. A method according to claim 13 , wherein said step of moving said clip unit containing said cannula axially relative to said mold unit so as to insert said cannula into said mold unit is performed as follows:
closing said mold unit by moving said second mold portion axially relative to said first mold portion; and
moving said clip unit containing said cannula axially relative to said closed mold unit so as to insert said cannula into said mold unit.

16. A method according to claim 13 , wherein said step of moving said clip unit containing said cannula sideways is performed by means of a pendular arm pivotally mounted.

17. A method according to claim 13 , wherein in the closed position of said clip, said cannula may be moved axially relative to said clip.

18. A method according to claim 17 , wherein, when said cannula is inserted into said mold unit, the axial end of said cannula that is remote from said perforating tip co-operates with a positioner member of said mold unit, so as to ensure that said cannula is positioned accurately in said mold unit while molding the syringe barrel.

19. A method according to claim

Assignees

• Aptar France Sas

Inventors

• Hubert Thierry
• Hebert Vincent
• His Olivier

Classifications

• B29K2705/00

  Use of metals, their alloys or their compounds, for preformed parts, e.g. for inserts · CPC title

• B29C45/14598

  Coating tubular articles · CPC title

• B29L2031/7544

  Injection needles, syringes · CPC title

• B29C45/14336

  Coating a portion of the article, e.g. the edge of the article (B29C45/14573 and B29C45/14598 take precedence) · CPC title

• B29C45/14065 Primary

  Positioning or centering articles in the mould · CPC title