Apparatus and method for placing mixing balls into pharmaceutical containers

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11713143-B2
Application number	US-202017429509-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 14, 2020
Priority date	Feb 14, 2019
Publication date	Aug 1, 2023
Grant date	Aug 1, 2023

Abstract

The invention relates to an apparatus ( 10 ) for placing mixing balls ( 1 ) into pharmaceutical containers ( 2 ), comprising a transport device ( 30 ) for conveying, preferably intermittently, the containers ( 2 ), and comprising a feed device ( 45 ) for the mixing balls ( 1 ), wherein the feed device ( 45 ) can be moved between a position for removing mixing balls ( 1 ) from a storage means ( 46 ) and a position for transferring the mixing balls ( 1 ) into the containers ( 2 ).

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An apparatus ( 10 ) for placing mixing balls ( 1 ) into pharmaceutical containers ( 2 ), the apparatus ( 10 ) comprising a transport device ( 30 ) for conveying the containers ( 2 ) and comprising a feed device ( 45 ) for the mixing balls ( 1 ), the feed device ( 45 ) being movable between a position for removing mixing balls ( 1 ) from a storage means ( 46 ) and a position for transferring the mixing balls ( 1 ) into the containers ( 2 ),
wherein
the transport device ( 30 ) is designed to transport transport containers ( 12 ), a receiving element ( 14 ) for receiving a plurality of containers ( 2 ) being provided in each of the transport containers ( 12 ), and a centering device ( 35 ) being provided for interaction with the receiving element ( 14 ), which centering device aligns the containers ( 2 ) arranged in the receiving element ( 14 ) with respect to the feed device ( 45 ) in the position for transferring.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein
the centering device ( 35 ) has at least one centering element ( 26 , 28 ) for aligning the receiving element ( 14 ), which centering element interacts with a counter element ( 22 , 24 ) of the receiving element ( 14 ) in a form-fitting manner.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2 ,
wherein
the centering device ( 35 ) for aligning the receiving element ( 14 ) interacts with a lifting device having a lifting ram ( 37 ), which lifting device is designed to lift the transport container ( 12 ) from the transport device ( 30 ) and release the transport container ( 12 ).

4. The apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein
the receiving element ( 14 ) has a plurality of rows which are arranged in parallel with one another and have receptacles ( 16 ) for the containers ( 2 ), and wherein the feed device ( 45 ) includes a plurality of feed elements ( 56 ) arranged on a common carrier element ( 55 ), such that each container ( 2 ) in a row has associated therewith a feed element ( 56 ) of the plurality of feed elements ( 56 ) for feeding a mixing ball ( 1 ).

5. The apparatus according to claim 4 ,
wherein
the carrier element ( 55 ) is arranged so as to be pivotable about a vertically arranged axis ( 52 ) and movable in a reciprocating manner in a direction of the vertical axis ( 52 ).

6. The apparatus according to claim 4 ,
wherein
the carrier element ( 55 ) can be adjusted into a position located laterally to the transport device ( 30 ) in order to pick up mixing balls ( 1 ), the storage means ( 46 ) being arranged laterally next to the transport device ( 30 ).

7. The apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein
a control device ( 60 ) for at least indirectly detecting delivery of mixing balls ( 1 ) into the containers ( 2 ) is assigned to the feed device ( 45 ).

8. The apparatus according to claim 7 ,
wherein
the control device ( 60 ) is an optical device ( 62 ).

9. A method for placing mixing balls ( 1 ) into pharmaceutical containers ( 2 ) by an apparatus ( 10 ) which is designed according to claim 1
wherein
the mixing balls ( 1 ) are placed into containers ( 2 ) arranged in a transport container ( 12 ).

10. The method according to claim 9 ,
wherein
the containers ( 2 ) are filled after the mixing balls ( 1 ) have been placed into containers ( 2 ) arranged in the transport container ( 12 ).

11. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the transport device ( 30 ) conveys the containers ( 2 ) intermittently.

Assignees

• Syntegon Tech Gmbh

Inventors

• Krauss Ulrich
• Humpfer Steffen
• Staeudle Reiner
• Schmieg Reinhold

Classifications

• B65B3/003 Primary

  Filling medical containers such as ampoules, vials, syringes or the like · CPC title

• B65B35/06

  Separating single articles from loose masses of articles · CPC title

• B65B43/54

  Means for supporting containers or receptacles during the filling operation · CPC title

• G01N35/1065

  Multiple transfer devices · CPC title

• G01N2035/00574

  Means for distributing beads · CPC title