Automated syringe processing stations and related methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12565347-B2
Application number	US-202418896320-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 25, 2024
Priority date	Mar 25, 2022
Publication date	Mar 3, 2026
Grant date	Mar 3, 2026

Abstract

An automated mass production process including: (a) advancing a supply carrier toward a stop position adjacent a syringe insertion station, the supply carrier holding a pre-filled syringe and the syringe insertion station including an arm, a receiving port and a driver; (b) aligning a vertical axis of the driver of the syringe insertion station with a vertical axis of the receiving port of the syringe insertion station; (c) advancing an injector body toward the receiving port in synchronization with the supply carrier to the stop position; (d) moving, by the arm, the pre-filled syringe from the supply carrier to the vertical axis of the receiving port of the syringe insertion station; (e) applying a downward force by the driver along the vertical axis to direct the pre-filled syringe into the injector body; (f) retracting the arm and the driver from the pre-filled syringe.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1 . A method for processing syringes in an automated mass production process, comprising:
a) advancing a supply carrier toward a stop position adjacent a syringe insertion station, the supply carrier holding at least one pre-filled syringe, and wherein the syringe insertion station includes an arm, a receiving port, and a driver in alignment with the receiving port along a vertical axis; b) receiving an injector body in the receiving port in alignment with the vertical axis, the receiving in (b) including advancing the injector body toward the receiving port in electronic synchronization with advancement of the supply carrier toward the stop position during (a); c) moving, by the arm, the at least one pre-filled syringe from the supply carrier and into alignment with the receiving port and the driver along the vertical axis, wherein the arm engages an outer surface of the pre-filled syringe during the moving in (c); d) while the arm is in engagement with the pre-filled syringe and the pre-filled syringe is in alignment with the driver and the receiving port along the vertical axis, applying a downward force by the driver to direct the pre-filled syringe into the injector body received in the receiving port during (b), wherein the driver engages an inner surface of the pre-filled syringe during the applying the downward force in (d); e) retracting the arm from the pre-filled syringe; and f) retracting the driver from the pre-filled syringe.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the arm engages the pre-filled syringe on an outer diameter of the pre-filled syringe, the outer diameter including a first outer point of the outer surface and a second outer point of the outer surface, the first outer point diametrically opposed from the second outer point.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the driver engages the pre-filled syringe on an inner diameter of the pre-filled syringe, the inner diameter including a first inner point of the inner surface and a second inner point of the inner surface, the first inner point diametrically opposed from the second inner point.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the arm remains in engagement with the pre-filled syringe during at least an initial application of the downward force by the drive during (d), with the arm moving downward in synchronicity with the driver during the initial application of the downward force.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein retracting the arm in e) comprises disengaging the pre-filled syringe and retracting the arm horizontally away from the pre-filled syringe.

6 . The method of claim 5 , wherein retracting of the arm in e) occurs simultaneously with the driver inserting the pre-filled syringe into the injector body.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein retracting the driver in f) comprises disengaging the pre-filled syringe and moving the driver upwardly away from the pre-filled syringe.

8 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising: g) after the pre-filled syringe is loaded into the injector body, releasing the injector body from the receiving port.

9 . The method of claim 8 , further comprising: h), after c), advancing the supply carrier away from the stop position.

10 . The method of claim 9 , further comprising repeating a) to h) for a plurality of subsequent supply carriers.

11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein a second supply carrier is advanced towards a second stop position adjacent a second syringe insertion station and a second method is carried out simultaneously on the second syringe insertion station.

12 . A method for inserting elongated workpieces in receiving assemblies in an automated mass production process, comprising:
a) advancing a supply carrier toward a stop position adjacent an insertion station, the supply carrier holding at least one elongated workpiece, and wherein the insertion station includes an arm, a receiving port, and a driver in alignment with the receiving port along a vertical axis; b) receiving a receiving assembly in the receiving port in alignment with the vertical axis, the receiving in (b) including advancing the receiving assembly toward the receiving port in electronic synchronization with advancement of the supply carrier toward the stop position during (a); c) moving, by the arm, the at least one elongated workpiece from the supply carrier and into alignment with the receiving port and the driver along the vertical axis, wherein the arm engages an outer surface of the elongated workpiece during the moving in (c); d) while the arm is in engagement with the elongated workpiece and the elongated workpiece is in alignment with the receiving port and the driver along the vertical axis, applying a downward force by the driver to direct the elongated workpiece into the receiving assembly received in the receiving port during (b), wherein the driver engages an inner surface of the elongated workpiece during the applying the downward force in (d); e) retracting the arm from the elongated workpiece; and f) retracting the driver from the elongated workpiece.

13 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the elongated workpiece is a pre-filled syringe.

14 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the receiving assembly is an injector body.

15 . An automated mass production system, comprising:
a) a plurality of supply carriers, each supply carrier configured to hold at least one elongated workpiece and advanceable through a stop position; b) an insertion station adjacent the stop position, the insertion station including an arm, a receiving port configured to support a receiving assembly, and a driver in alignment with the receiving port along a vertical axis; and c) a control system configured to synchronize operation of the supply carriers and the insertion station to perform the method of claim 12 .

16 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the arm engages the elongated workpiece on an outer diameter of the elongated workpiece, the outer diameter including a first outer point of the outer surface and a second outer point of the outer surface, the first outer point diametrically opposed from the second outer point.

17 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the driver engages the elongated workpiece on an inner diameter of the elongated workpiece, the inner diameter including a first inner point of the inner surface and a second inner point of the inner surface, the first inner point diametrically opposed from the second inner point.

18 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the arm remains in engagement with the elongated workpiece during at least an initial application of the downward force by the driver during (d), with the arm moving downward in synchronicity with the driver during the initial application of the downward force.

19 . The method of claim 12 , wherein retracting the arm in e) comprises disengaging the elongated workpiece and retracting the arm horizontally away from the elongated workpiece.

20 . The method of claim 19 , wherein retracting of the arm in e) occurs simultaneously with the driver inserting the elongated workpiece into the receiving assembly.

21 . The method of claim 12 , wherein retracting the driver in f) comprises disengaging the elongated workpiece and moving the driver upwardly away from the elongated workpiece.

22 . The method of claim 12 , further comprising: g) after the elongated workpiece is loaded into the receiving assembly, releasing the receiving assembly from the receiving port.

Assignees

• Ats Corp

Inventors

• Nicholson Kenneth Wayne
• Munroe Philip David
• Chubb Ryan David
• Kurtz Philip Michael
• Chow Michael Tze-Chun

Classifications

• G05B19/4155

  characterised by program execution, i.e. part program or machine function execution, e.g. selection of a program · CPC title

• G05B19/41805

  characterised by assembly · CPC title

• B23P19/10

  Aligning parts to be fitted together · CPC title

• G05B2219/45169

  Medical, rontgen, x ray · CPC title

• G05B2219/39129

  One manipulator holds one piece, other inserts, screws other piece, dexterity · CPC title