Method, device and system for filling pharmaceutical containers

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11230400-B2
Application number	US-201816003166-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 8, 2018
Priority date	May 7, 2018
Publication date	Jan 25, 2022
Grant date	Jan 25, 2022

Abstract

The present invention involves both an apparatus and an associated method for confirming the presence or absence of closures in a closure nest inside an aseptic chamber. The apparatus comprises a topographical profiler disposed to monitor the closure nests. Vertical displacements in topographical maps obtained by the profiler are compared with information from a database about the nest and closure combinations. Vertical displacements falling outside predetermined upper and lower bounds are deemed absences of closures. The topographical profiler may be disposed outside the aseptic chamber. The system may be automated via a controller and suitable software. In some embodiments the nests and disposed in the monitored area by robotic articulated arms. In other embodiments the closure nests are moved by vacuum pickup systems. The system and method may also be employed to assess the suitability of a closure nest for closing in an aseptic chamber containers in a container nest.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for confirming the presence or absence of closures in a closure nest inside an aseptic chamber, the method comprising:
disposing the closure nest in a monitored area inside the aseptic chamber, the nest having a surface;
operating a topographical profiler to obtain a topographical profile map of the closure nest comprising vertical displacement data versus two mutually perpendicular directions in the plane of the surface;
comparing the vertical displacement data with a predetermined range of vertical displacements having a lower bound and an upper bound in areas of the closure nest where closures are expected to be present;
deeming a closure to be present if the vertical displacement data is between the lower and upper bounds; and
deeming a closure to be absent if the vertical displacement data is not between the lower and upper bounds.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein operating the topographical profiler comprises operating the topographical profiler outside the aseptic chamber.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein disposing the closure nest in a monitored area comprises operating an articulated arm apparatus.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein operating an articulated arm apparatus comprises operating a robotic articulated arm apparatus.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein disposing the closure nest in a monitored area comprises operating a vacuum pickup system.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein operating a topographical profiler comprises profiling the closure nest.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein comparing the vertical displacement data with a predetermined range of vertical displacements comprises automatically comparing the vertical displacement data with a predetermined range of vertical displacements using a controller.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein comparing the vertical displacement data with a predetermined range of vertical displacements comprises providing the controller with the predetermined range of vertical displacements based on prior knowledge of the nest and the closures.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein
deeming a closure to be present if the vertical displacement data is between the lower and upper bounds comprises deeming a stopper to be present if the vertical displacement data is between the lower and upper bounds; and
deeming a closure to be absent if the vertical displacement data is not between the lower and upper bound comprises deeming a stopper to be present if the vertical displacement data is between the lower and upper bounds.

10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising upon deeming a closure absent from the nest discarding the nest and disposing another nest with closures in the monitored area.

11. A method for confirming in an aseptic chamber the suitability of a closure nest for use in closing a nest of containers, the method comprising:
disposing the closure nest in a monitored area inside the aseptic chamber, the closure nest having a surface;
operating a topographical profiler to obtain a topographical profile map of the closure nest comprising vertical displacement data versus two mutually perpendicular directions in the plane of the surface;
comparing the vertical displacement data with a predetermined range of acceptable vertical displacements having a lower bound and an upper bound;
deeming the closure nest to be suitable if the vertical displacement data is between the lower and upper bounds; and
deeming the closure nest to be unsuitable if the vertical displacement data is not between the lower and upper bounds.

12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising upon deeming the nest unsuitable discarding the nest and disposing another nest with closures in the monitored area.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein disposing the closure nest in a monitored area comprises operating an articulated arm apparatus.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein operating an articulated arm apparatus comprises operating a robotic articulated arm apparatus.

15. The method of claim 11 , wherein disposing the closure nest in a monitored area comprises operating a vacuum pickup system.

16. The method of claim 11 , wherein operating a topographical profiler comprises profiling the closure nest.

17. The method of claim 11 , wherein comparing the vertical displacement data with a predetermined range of vertical displacements comprises automatically comparing the vertical displacement data with a predetermined range of vertical displacements using a controller.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein comparing the vertical displacement data with a predetermined range of vertical displacements comprises providing the controller with the predetermined range of vertical displacements based on prior knowledge of the nest and the closures.

19. The method of claim 11 , wherein deeming a closure nest to be suitable if the vertical displacement data is between the lower and upper bounds comprises deeming a stopper to be present if the vertical displacement data is between the lower and upper bounds; and deeming a closure nest to be unsuitable if the vertical displacement data is not between the lower and upper bound comprises deeming a stopper to be present if the vertical displacement data is between the lower and upper bounds.

20. The method of claim 11 , further comprising upon deeming a closure nest to be unsuitable from the nest discarding the nest and disposing another nest with closures in the monitored area.

Assignees

• Vanrx Pharmasystems Inc
• V Anrx Pharmasystems Inc

Inventors

• Diaz Guerrero Carlos Alberto

Classifications

• B65B55/027

  Packaging in aseptic chambers · CPC title

• B65B7/2807

  Feeding closures · CPC title

• B65B57/02 Primary

  responsive to absence, presence, abnormal feed, or misplacement of binding or wrapping material, containers, or packages · CPC title

• B65B63/08

  for heating or cooling articles or materials to facilitate packaging · CPC title

• G01N21/9508 Primary

  Capsules; Tablets · CPC title