EP3595973B1 - System with alternative filling of containers and method therefor - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a system for filling containers, in particular syringes, in particular in the medical and / or pharmacological field, and an associated method. Similar systems and methods are, for example, from the document EP2832648 A1 known.

In the field of medicine and pharmacy, liquid quantities of a few milliliters or even less are often administered as single doses. In order to avoid contamination and to ensure adequate sterility and at the same time to exclude dosage and measurement errors, appropriate agents and medicaments are preferably provided in individual containers, each of which accordingly contains the amount of an individual dose.

At the same time, it is imperative that the amount in the container corresponds as precisely as possible to the amount specified on the container, both in terms of the amount of liquid and the amount of active ingredient.

Accordingly, a large number of containers have to be filled and sealed in a sterile manner, with deviations from the target filling quantity remaining as close as possible within a very narrow tolerance range and the reject rate with fillings outside the tolerance range being low. This is particularly necessary because, for reasons of sterility, the corresponding container has to be closed in a sterile manner as soon as possible after filling and refilling is then no longer possible.

Since a corresponding filling by hand would be much too time-consuming and labor-intensive, filling systems have been developed in which several filling needles are arranged in a row, these can fill several containers arranged in a row and then a closing station with closing actuators arranged in a row Containers sealed sterile.

Usually the row of containers is weighed individually before and after the filling process in order to check the filling quantity. This can also be done as a whole row on a corresponding row of scales or the containers can be removed individually from the row and placed on a single scale.

• Transport des Nestes auf einer Transportvorrichtung hin zum System zum Befüllen;
• Entnahme einer Reihe von Behältern aus dem Nest;
• Platzieren der Reihe von Behältern auf einer Reihe von Waagen, um jeden Behälter einzeln leer zu wiegen;
• Transport der Behälter zur Füllstation;
• Befüllen der Behälter;
• Transport der Behälter zu der Reihe von Waagen, um die befüllten Behälter zu wiegen, um aus dieser Bruttowiegung und der vorherigen Tarawiegung die Füllmenge zu bestimmen und zu verifizieren;
• Transport der Reihe von Behältern zur Verschließstation;
• Verschließen der Reihe von Behältern; und
• Einsetzen der Reihe von Behältern in das Nest.

Since the containers are stored in nests both for delivery for filling and for further transport as filled and closed containers, in which the containers are arranged in rows and columns, the usual method for filling the containers has become established:

• Transport of the nest on a transport device to the system for filling;
• Removing a series of containers from the nest;
• Placing the row of containers on a series of scales to empty each container individually;
• Transport of the containers to the filling station;
• Filling the containers;
• Transporting the containers to the series of scales in order to weigh the filled containers in order to determine and verify the filling quantity from this gross weighing and the previous tare weighing;
• Transporting the row of containers to the sealing station;
• Closing the row of containers; and
• Inserting the row of containers into the nest.

Since the weighing is time-consuming in each case, only a part of the rows of containers is often weighed for the purpose of acceleration, for example every 10th row or only one row per nest.

It was previously assumed that, due to the essentially uniform delivery of the filling needles, this is sufficient to ensure a uniform filling quantity. However, this is still not optimal, since with certain medical products even slight deviations in individual containers are problematic.

In previous methods, however, weighing each individual row and thus individual containers both before and after filling for the purpose of more precise determination of the filling amount for each individual container leads to insufficient speed and reduced output of the systems. This goes hand in hand with increased costs.

The object of the present invention is therefore to solve the problems occurring in the prior art, in particular to provide a system for filling containers, in particular syringes, in which each container is weighed in the process, i.e. before, during and / or after filling in particular that a tare and gross weighing of each container is carried out in order to guarantee that all containers are correctly filled. At the same time, a corresponding system must work with sufficient speed and not at high costs.

This object is achieved by a system according to claim 1 and by a method according to claim 19. Advantageous embodiments are the subject of the dependent claims.

• eine mehrbahnige Transportvorrichtung zum Transport mehrerer Reihen von Behältern entlang einer Transportrichtung;
• mindestens zwei Wiegevorrichtungen (30), die unter der Transportvorrichtung und entlang der Transportvorrichtung hintereinander angeordnet sind;
• mindestens eine mehrbahnige Füllstation, wobei die Zahl der Bahnen der Füllstation mit der Zahl der Bahnen der Transportvorrichtung übereinstimmen, wobei die mindestens eine Füllstation, so eingerichtet ist, dass mittels der mindestens einen Füllstation ein Füllvorgang von Reihen von Behältern positioniert oberhalb und/oder bei zwei der mindestens zwei Wiegevorrichtungen ausführbar ist;
• mindestens eine Verschließstation;
• Mittel, um jeweils eine Reihe von Behältern auf einer der mindestens zwei Wiegevorrichtungen abzusetzen; und
• eine Steuerung, die dafür ausgelegt ist, die Transportvorrichtung so anzusteuern, dass jede Reihe von Behältern oberhalb und/oder bei einer Wiegevorrichtung für einen Füllvorgang platziert wird, wobei die Reihe von Behältern an den anderen Wiegevorrichtungen nur vorbeigeführt wird ohne bei diesen anderen Wiegevorrichtungen für einen Füllvorgang platziert zu werden.

A system according to the invention for filling containers, in particular syringes, comprises:

• a multi-lane transport device for transporting several rows of containers along a transport direction;
• at least two weighing devices (30) which are arranged one behind the other under the transport device and along the transport device;
• at least one multi-lane filling station, the number of lanes of the filling station coinciding with the number of lanes of the transport device, the at least one filling station being set up so that by means of the at least one filling station a filling process of rows of containers positioned above and / or at two at least two weighing devices can be implemented;
• at least one closing station;
• Means for depositing a row of containers on one of the at least two weighing devices; and
• a control that is designed to control the transport device in such a way that each row of containers is placed above and / or next to a weighing device for a filling process, the row of containers only being moved past the other weighing devices without these other weighing devices for one Filling process to be placed.

In this context, containers are to be understood as meaning all types of containers, but especially those such as are used in the medical and / or pharmacological field, for example for liquids. In addition to syringes, containers can also be, for example, vials, smaller bottles, test tubes and / or similar containers, in particular of the type used in the medical and / or pharmacological field.

Multi-lane denotes here that, viewed along the transport direction, a plurality of containers are always arranged next to one another. These are in general also essentially in line with containers in a previous or subsequent row along the transport direction.

However, multi-lane does not necessarily mean that there are correspondingly several physical lanes, rails or the like running along the transport direction. However, this is also not excluded.

The transport takes place in the form of rows of containers, so that when the system is started a first row of containers is arranged first, this is moved accordingly along the transport direction and then a second row of containers is arranged in the same position as before and then also is moved along the transport direction by the transport device.

The multi-lane nature of the at least one filling station refers to the fact that it can simultaneously fill several containers arranged next to one another transversely to the transport direction. The filling station is designed in such a way that it can fill as many containers arranged in a row at the same time as there are in the rows of the transport device.

Placing the containers on a weighing device means that the containers are positioned with respect to the weighing device in such a way that the weighing device can measure its current weight.

The system according to the invention achieves a sufficiently large output with simultaneous gross and tare weighing of each individual container. Namely, by means of the provision of at least two weighing devices and a design of the control system, the rows of containers only at stop one weighing device and at the same time move it past the other weighing device. With each stop for filling, in which time-consuming weighing of the containers is generally necessary, two rows of containers are weighed simultaneously or just one after the other as part of the filling process by the weighing device provided. This speeds up the process as a whole, since weighing is one of the most time-consuming, which means that by providing two weighing devices and using them at close or overlapping times, a considerable acceleration is achieved, while at the same time each container can be weighed precisely for the purpose of high product safety.

The closing station and the systems for supplying and removing containers to and from the transport device, on the other hand, can easily be designed so that they load two rows of containers or remove containers from two rows or containers from two while the transport device is stopped for the filling process To close rows. Either several filling stations, e.g. one per weighing device or one or more filling stations movable along the transport direction can be provided. This means that at least twice the throughput can be achieved compared to systems which each handle a single row and weigh, fill, weigh and seal in succession. This is because the essential time required results from the weighing during the filling process, which in the present invention always takes place for at least two rows simultaneously or in close proximity / overlapping, except if necessary at the beginning and at the end of the system operation, if the first row of containers or possibly a last row of containers without following one is filled and weighed.

Preferably, the at least one filling station is along the transport direction from a first filling position for a filling process of at one of the at least two weighing devices positioned row of containers can be moved to a further filling position for a filling process of a further row of containers positioned in a further row of the at least two weighing devices.

Alternatively or additionally, at least two or more multi-lane filling stations arranged one behind the other along the transport direction can also be provided, but which are not movable along the transport direction. Two or more corresponding movable filling stations can also be provided, each serving two or more filling positions or rows of containers arranged above a weighing device.

Furthermore, one or more movable filling stations and one or more non-movable filling stations can also be provided. Furthermore, when a plurality of movable filling stations are provided, some or all of the movable filling stations can also be movable relative to one another. Furthermore, when a plurality of movable filling stations are provided, some or all of the movable filling stations can also be designed such that they move synchronously and / or at a fixed distance from one another.

Basically, for all embodiments described herein with several filling stations that are immovable along the transport direction, in alternative embodiments fewer or only one filling station that is movable in the transport direction are provided / can be used in the otherwise equivalent system / method. Conversely, for all embodiments described herein with one or more filling stations movable in the transport direction, in alternative embodiments more, in particular one for each approached weighing device, but instead immovable in the transport direction are intended / can be used in the otherwise equivalent system / procedure.

Movable / immovable here refers to movements of the filling station along the transport direction. Regardless of this, the filling station can e.g. have moving parts with regard to the filling process, e.g. Filling needles, or be movable as a whole.

Furthermore, other elements of the system according to the invention, in particular the at least one closing station, can also be designed to be movable, in particular along the transport direction. All features and / or properties mentioned with regard to the mobility of the filling stations can also be provided for these other movable elements.

The transport device is preferably designed as at least one bar per row of containers. These strips accordingly extend transversely to the transport direction and are transported, for example, via a common drive. There are holes in each of the strips into which the containers are inserted for transport, whereby the number of holes determines the number of lanes in the system.

Such a bar is preferably designed with two arms with one arm on each side of the holes and is also preferably designed to be hinged. In this way, when the bar is in the closed position, the containers are held by the bar. And when the bar is opened, the containers can be released and their weight can thus be measured by the corresponding weighing device, because otherwise their weight will be on the bar.

The holes are of course preferably designed in such a way that they hold the corresponding containers purely by their shape. In the case of syringes, for example, this can be achieved by a conical tapering of the hole from the top of the bar to the bottom of the bar. However, the course can also be step-shaped and in the case of other containers, for example test tubes with an edge protruding beyond the other wall at the upper end, the hole can also have a completely constant diameter.

In some embodiments, the strip can be designed as a hollow strip, the transport device further comprising strip inserts that can be pushed into and along a longitudinal direction of the hollow strips, the strip inserts each comprising one hole per hole in the hollow strip. The strip inserts can be guided / positioned, for example, by means of rails or grooves in the interior of the hollow strips.
Depending on the relative position of the strip insert to the hollow strip, the diameter and shape of the passage from the top to the bottom of the strip can then be varied, so that, depending on the position, containers are either retained or released. The shape of the strip inserts and / or the interior of the hollow strip is preferably such that direct or indirect engagement with the container is possible in a holding position of the strip insert.

Preferably, the shape of the holes in the strip inserts does not match the shape of the holes in the hollow strip. Preferably so that there are positions of the strip inserts with an overlap of an area of the passage of the holes of the hollow strip and positions of the strip inserts with a release of the passage of the holes of the hollow strip.

The shape of the holes of the strip inserts and / or the hollow strip preferably comprises a circular or elliptical section and one of the Circular or elliptical deviating section. In particular, a shape of half to three quarters of a circle and a triangle in the remainder of the section which is no longer circular is preferred.

The shape of a hole here means in particular the edge contour of the hole when viewed from bottom to top or top to bottom in relation to the bar / bar insert.

In all embodiments, the system preferably comprises a centering insert, the shape of which can be passed through the holes in the strips, the centering insert having one end designed to be suitable for coupling with the weighing devices and a clamping device for clamping and / or centering one at a further end Has container.

In the case of variants with a strip insert, the shape of their holes is also designed for the centering insert or vice versa.

As a result, different containers can be held with standardized hole sizes by making the clamping device sufficiently flexible.

The centering insert preferably comprises a recess and / or a projection, in particular an elastic or elastically mounted projection for engaging with retaining means in the interior of the strips. Such holding means can be structures of the bar as well as the hollow bar or the bar insert.

Particularly preferred are projections / recesses with which the strip insert engages when positioned appropriately and no longer engages when positioned appropriately, so that the Centering insert is released to load on a weight sensor of a weighing device.

Since the weight of the centering insert is known on the one hand and, on the other hand, generally does not play a role in gross tare weighings, the filling quantity / filling weight can also be reliably determined.

In one variant, the strips are permanently coupled to a drive device, so that all strips are accordingly always moved simultaneously.

In other variants, however, it can also be provided that the strips are individually driven or can be moved relative to one another in some other way, so that the distance between strips following one another in the transport direction can be reduced and increased during transport.

This can be advantageous because then, for example, the closing station, which for example has to close two rows of containers during a filling process, does not itself have to be designed with elements that can move along the transport direction. This is because the two bars at the closing station and the bars following in the transport direction are simply moved further so that two rows of containers come into the position suitable for the closing process during the filling process.

The system preferably further comprises at least one tong device per filling station, which is designed to raise and / or lower at least one container or a device holding the container. This allows, especially in combination with the hinges of the bars or the other mechanisms mentioned for holding the containers directly or indirectly on the strips, the containers can be easily and quickly placed on the respective weighing device.

Particularly preferably, the tong device in combination with the design of the transport device in the form of strips is designed so that the at least one container or a device holding it can be raised from a hole in the strip and / or lowered onto a weight sensor of the weighing device.

This can in particular be provided in such a way that the forceps device is designed to grip all containers / devices simultaneously during or shortly before the bar is opened.

However, several separate tong devices can also be provided for gripping all containers / devices in a row or in a bar.

As an alternative or in addition to a tong device, the strips can also be designed to be individually movable in the vertical direction in relation to the transport direction. The bar can thus directly implement the function of lowering or lifting containers or devices accordingly.

As an alternative or in addition, the corresponding devices under or over the strips can also be designed to move up to the containers / devices, e.g. in that the weighing devices or corresponding parts thereof are vertically movable.

In the case of individually movable bars, both vertically and along the transport direction, the features and designs with regard to the distance between two consecutive bars, then based on a standard distance between consecutive bars, for example the distance that results when all bars are arranged at the same distance along the transport direction, or the technically usual distance in the entrance or exit area of the Transport device. In the foregoing as well as in the following, "distance" for variants with strips that can be moved relative to one another is to be read and understood as such a standard distance, since in the case of individual mobility, the distance between two specific adjacent strips can also vary, e.g. during use a single, immovable sealing station and individually movable strips in the area of the sealing station.

The distance between two successive weighing devices in the transport direction is preferably such that when a row of containers is positioned at and / or above each of the successive weighing devices, there is either no more space between any row of containers or a number of rows of containers equal to the total number corresponds to the filling station or a multiple thereof.

Because then, by advancing a certain number of strips and then stopping for filling, it is possible for each row of containers to be stopped only once when passing through the transport device for a filling process in a weighing device. The control can thus be implemented particularly easily.

In particular, under these conditions the control can be designed in such a way that it controls the transport device only in two alternating steps, namely once to advance a number of rows of containers equal to the number of weighing devices and then stand still for the duration of the filling process and possibly the Weighing processes. Such a control could even be implemented mechanically or electromechanically, so that programming errors with regard to the control are excluded.

Accordingly, it is preferable to realize the spatial arrangement of the at least two weighing devices along the transport direction in such a way that there is a number, either in the aforementioned way or in some other way, so that with a transport rhythm corresponding to an advance by this number of rows of containers by a filling stop followed by a renewed advance by this number of rows of containers, each row of containers is only once at a filling stop at a weighing device and is not at a weighing device at all other filling stops.

In the case of the arrangement of filling stations that are not movable along the transport direction, i.e. in particular of one filling station per weighing device, the filling stations are preferably also designed according to the features mentioned above with regard to the weighing devices or the system is designed accordingly. For example, that the distance between two filling stations is appropriate or that the control is designed such that a row of containers is only present once at a filling station during a filling process.

Each filling station preferably comprises a number of filling needles equal to the number of tracks. Each weighing device also preferably comprises a number of weight sensors equal to the number of lanes. Likewise preferably, the closing station comprises a number of closing actuators for closing one container in each case, equal to the number of lanes.

Depending on the number of filling stations, the duration of a filling process, the mobility of the closing stations or the closing actuators and the During a closing process, it can be advantageous to provide more than one closing station in succession in the transport direction. It is particularly preferred to provide a closing station for every two filling stations and / or two weighing devices.

If the number of filling stations and / or weighing devices is too large and the number of closing stations is too low, the overall performance of the system can ultimately be limited by the operating speed of the closing stations. This can be remedied by increasing their number.

The system preferably comprises a nest removal device at the beginning of the transport device in order to remove containers from a nest and to bring them into the transport device. The system also preferably comprises a nest loading device at one end of the transport device in order to remove containers from the transport device and insert them into a nest. Both can be designed similarly to the pliers devices described above.

This is advantageous since appropriate containers in the medical and pharmacological field are generally stored in nests and made available for various production and shipping processes.

• b) Anordnen von leeren Behältern in aufeinanderfolgenden Reihen, wobei mindestens zwei Behälter je Reihe angeordnet werden;
• c) Bewegen der Reihen in eine Transportrichtung; und
• d) Anwenden eines der nachfolgenden Unterschritte auf jede der Reihen:
  • d1) Befüllen der Behälter der Reihe an einer ersten Füllstelle und Vorbeibewegen dieser Behälter an mindestens einer weiteren Füllstelle ohne Befüllen;
  • d2) Vorbeibewegen der Behälter der Reihe an der ersten Füllstelle und Befüllen dieser Behälter an genau einer der mindestens einen weiteren Füllstelle.

The invention also relates to a method for filling containers, in particular using a system according to the invention in accordance with the features explained above, comprising the steps:

• b) arranging empty containers in successive rows, with at least two containers being arranged per row;
• c) moving the rows in a transport direction; and
• d) Apply one of the following substeps to each of the series:
  • d1) filling the containers in the row at a first filling point and moving these containers past at least one further filling point without filling;
  • d2) moving the containers in the row past the first filling point and filling these containers at exactly one of the at least one further filling point.

Steps b), c), d) are preferably applied to different containers and rows at the same time, apart from the filling after substeps d1) and d2), which is preferably applied alternately or simultaneously to different rows of containers.

The containers arranged in rows are thus moved along a transport direction, with several filling points being provided along the transport direction and each row of containers being filled only at a respective filling point and passing the other filling points without filling. A part of rows of containers is filled at the first filling point and another part is filled at the further filling point or points.

Since other method steps in the time required for filling or weighing a row can be applied to two or more rows, in the method according to the invention the duration of the filling process or, in particular, a weighing process required is no longer the critical time component, which limits the overall performance.

As a result, compared to conventional methods, a doubling or even more than doubling of the output can be achieved while at the same time a filling process that meets the usual quality requirements is ensured for each individual container.

• a) Entnahme der leeren Behälter aus einem Nest; und/oder
• e) Einsetzen der befüllten Behälter in ein Nest.

The method according to the invention preferably further comprises the steps:

• a) removing the empty containers from a nest; and or
• e) placing the filled container in a nest.

Since in the medical and pharmacological field, containers such as syringes and vials are usually transported and handled in nests, the connection to common nest transport systems is ensured.

• c1) Bewegen der Reihen um eine Länge entsprechend einem ganzzahligen Vielfachen des Abstandes zweier aufeinanderfolgenden Reihen, wobei das ganzzahlige Vielfache mindestens zwei ist; und
• c2) Stillstehen der Reihen für eine Bearbeitungszeit, die mindestens der für einen Füllvorgang benötigten Zeit entspricht.

The method according to the invention preferably comprises the steps of moving the rows:

• c1) moving the rows by a length corresponding to an integral multiple of the distance between two successive rows, the integral multiple being at least two; and
• c2) Standstill of the rows for a processing time which corresponds at least to the time required for a filling process.

In this way, with a simultaneous suitable selection of the distance between the filling points, it can be achieved directly that, in accordance with step d), each row of containers only stands still at exactly the desired filling point for a filling process and is moved past the other filling points.

Alternatively, however, the same result can also be achieved in that successive rows are not always at the same distance, but rather the distance between successive rows changes in a regular manner according to the distance between the filling points. The feed alternating with the standstill can then take place similarly to steps c1) and c2), but the feed then usually corresponds to the length after which the different distances between the rows are repeated again.

In the method according to the invention it is preferably provided that the filling level and / or the absolute filling quantity are measured, especially during filling. Alternatively, the containers can also be weighed immediately before filling and immediately after filling is complete.

With several filling points and respective weighing at the respective filling point, the time for weighing is also no longer critical and accordingly a high throughput can be achieved, while at the same time a high level of product safety is ensured through tare weighing and gross weighing of each individual container.

The order in which the steps described above are carried out preferably corresponds to the alphabetical order of the above naming of the steps.

• Figur 1 eine schematische Seitenansicht eines erfindungsgemäßen Systems zeigt;
• Figuren 2a bis 2c eine schematische Ansicht einer geschlossenen Leiste des erfindungsgemäßen Systems, einer geöffneten Leiste des erfindungsgemäßen Systems und eines Schnitts durch die Leiste des erfindungsgemäßen Systems entlang der Linie A-A zeigen;
• Figur 3 eine schematische Ansicht des Systems aus Figur 1 mit Blick entlang der Transportrichtung zeigt;
• Figur 4 eine schematische Seitenansicht eines weiteren erfindungsgemäßen Systems mit nur einer Füllstation zeigt;
• Figuren 5a bis 5d eine schematische Ansicht einer Hohlleiste, eines Leisteneinsatzes, einer Leiste mit Zentrierungseinsatz von der Seite und eines Zentrierungseinsatzes von oben.

An embodiment of the invention is explained in more detail below with reference to the figures, wherein:

• Figure 1 shows a schematic side view of a system according to the invention;
• Figures 2a to 2c show a schematic view of a closed bar of the system according to the invention, an open bar of the system according to the invention and a section through the bar of the system according to the invention along the line AA;
• Figure 3 a schematic view of the system Figure 1 with a view along the transport direction shows;
• Figure 4 shows a schematic side view of a further system according to the invention with only one filling station;
• Figures 5a to 5d a schematic view of a hollow bar, a bar insert, a bar with a centering insert from the side and a centering insert from above.

An exemplary embodiment of the system 10 according to the invention for filling containers 100, which are embodied here as syringes by way of example, comprises as in FIG Figure 1 a transport device formed by means of strips 40, two filling stations 20, two weighing devices 30 and a closing station 14 can be seen.

As in Figure 2a As can be seen, a single strip 40 comprises five holes 42, the strip 40 being formed from arms 40a and 40b which are coupled via a hinge 44. As in Figure 2d As shown, the arms 40a and 40b can thus be folded apart, wherein in other embodiments the hinge or a correspondingly different mechanism can be designed so that the arms 40a and 40b can only be folded apart by a few degrees. An opening angle that is just large enough to release the containers 100 held in the holes is sufficient.

Since the embodiment is designed for syringes that include a slightly thicker area and a slightly thinner area towards the tip of the syringe, the holes 42 are as in cross-section through a hole in FIG Figure 2c can be seen tapering from top to bottom, so that as in Figure 1 shown, the thinner head region of the syringe 100 can protrude downwards, while the wider upper region cannot pass through the hole and is thus held.

As in Figure 3 As can be seen, five syringes 100 are accordingly held in each bar 40 and the filling stations 20 accordingly have five filling needles 22 and the weighing device 30 has five weight sensors 32. Not shown, the locking station 14 accordingly also has five locking actuators 16.

A system with a larger or a smaller number of tracks could of course also be implemented.

As further in Figure 1 As can be seen, the strips 40 are fed empty from the left and syringes 100 are inserted into the holes 42 of the strips 40.

In the present exemplary embodiment, the control is designed in such a way that the transport device or the strips 40 are moved forwards by two strip distances and then stand still for a filling process.

The moment is shown when the syringes 100 located at the filling stations 20 are just half filled by the filling needles 22. The syringes 100 are held by forceps devices 24.

When the filling process shown has been completed, the syringes 100 located at the filling stations 20 will be filled as much as the hatched area for the syringes further to the right indicates.

At the end of the filling process, the bars 40 that hold the syringes 100 that have just been filled are opened, whereupon the syringes 100 additionally held with the pliers devices 24 are lowered onto the weight sensors 32 of the weighing devices 30 in order to determine the gross weight of each syringe. Since the tare weight was previously determined in a similar way, the exact filling level or the exact filling amount is known for each syringe.

In alternative embodiments, the syringes 100 can also remain on the weight sensors 32 during the filling process, so that the weight is measured continuously and the difference between the initial weight and the current or final weight is used to monitor the filling quantity.

During the filling and / or weighing, the closing actuators 16 of the closing station 14 are also the in Figure 1 have provided syringes 100 currently located directly below the closure actuator 16 with a stopper or closure 18, as is already the case with the syringes 100 on the far right.

Even if a movable closing station 14 or closing actuators 16 is assumed in the present exemplary embodiments shown, one or more immovable closing stations 14 can alternatively also be used. For example, in that two closing stations 14 are provided one behind the other along the transport direction and / or in that the strips 40 can move relative to one another. In the latter case, while two rows of tips 100 are being filled, the strips 40 in the vicinity of the closing station 14 would be moved in such a way that two rows of syringes 100 are positioned one after the other for closing at the closing station 14. For this, the distance between the strips 40 and / or between the rear filling position would have to be suitably selected so that there is sufficient play for the individual movement of the strips 40. Subsequently, the pliers devices 24 lift the syringes again so that the associated strips 40 can be closed and then the pliers devices 24 are released from the syringes 100 so that the pliers devices 24 do not impede the subsequent forward movement of the strips 40 to the right.

The control is designed in such a way that it moves the bars 40 forward by the distance from two adjacent bars and then lets the bars stand still for the period required for weighing and filling and then moves them forward again by two bar distances.

This means how to Figure 1 it can be seen that after the filling of the in Figure 1 For syringes 100 that have just been filled, the forceps devices 24 are released accordingly and pulled away, whereupon the bars 40 move precisely to the extent that they assume the position shown in FIG Figure 1 is just two ledges further.

In this way, the syringes 100 on the far left will come to a standstill immediately below the filling needles 22 of the first filling station 20. The second syringes 100 from the left will come to a stop at the first position behind the first filling station 20. The syringes 100 just filled by the first filling station 20 will come to a standstill as fully filled syringes one position in front of the second filling station 20 and the previously empty syringes 100 that were in the first position behind the first filling station 20 will be under the second filling station 20 come to a standstill. The filled syringes 100, which were previously one position in front of the second filling station 20, will now come to a standstill one position behind the filling station 20.

The syringes that have just been filled by the second filling station 20 and the filled syringes previously positioned one position behind the second filling station 20 will come into the area that can be reached by the movably operating closing station as part of the closing processes. In the Figure 1 Filled and subsequently also closed syringes 100 located on the far right are referred to in FIG Figure 1 further to the right transported away and fed there, for example, to a device which removes the syringes 100 from the strips 40 and inserts the syringes 100 into corresponding nests.

Then the tongs 24 grip the empty syringes 100 now placed under the filling stations 20, these syringes are fed according to a tare weighing, i.e. a weighing without content, and then a corresponding position suitable for filling, whereupon the following filling process takes place again in Figure 1 situation shown.

The system thus realizes a multi-lane and alternating two-row filling, with a complete determination of the filling weight, for example via a tare and gross weighing of the objects to be filled, for example syringes, vials or cartridges, with full machine performance.

As in Figure 1 As can be seen, with two filling stations 20 or two weighing devices 30, a possible solution is three bar spacings as the distance between the two filling stations 20 or weighing devices 30. Alternatively, purely in terms of the functional principle, the two filling stations 20 or weighing devices 30 could also fill directly adjacent strips; a forward movement by two strip spacings would also be possible with the corresponding desired result. However, this is likely to fail technically often because corresponding filling stations 20 or weighing devices 30 take up too much volume to be placed well close to one another.

If more than two filling stations are to be used, they can either also fill adjacent rows and be positioned accordingly (again with the problem that many filling systems are too are voluminous) or the filling stations 20 must be spaced apart from in Figure 1 to be ordered.

So that the rhythm of advancing a certain number of bar spacings and subsequent standstill and in turn subsequent advancement can be implemented, it is advantageous if the number of bars between two bars under adjacent filling stations 20 or weighing devices 30 is equal to the number of filling stations 20 or Weighing devices 30 is a total. Then, with a feed by the number of bars equal to the number of filling stations 20 or weighing devices 30, each bar will only be once under a filling station 20 or above a weighing device 30 during the standstill and otherwise always at the intervals between during the standstill two adjacent filling stations 20 or weighing devices 30.

In other words, the feed rate must be F spacing between bars, with F = number of filling stations, while the distance between two adjacent filling stations or weighing devices 30 must be F + 1 spacing between bars. Then, by simply changing the feed by the corresponding length and standing still, a certain bar is only once under a filling station 20 or above a weighing device 30 during the standstill while the entire length of the transport device is being passed through. The performance of the filling stations 20 or weighing devices 30 is thus fully utilized.

However, this is only the preferred method, because in principle, with more complex controls, in particular with individually movable strips, other distances between the filling stations can also be achieved. It is simply a matter of the technical control problem of how the strips are to be controlled, so that each strip is only once during a standstill for filling processes under a filling station and during of all other standstills is not under a filling station, so that each filling station always has empty containers to fill with each standstill.

Since the weighing process is fundamentally the particularly time-critical component, that is to say it takes up the greatest amount of time, instead of one filling station 20 per weighing device 30, filling stations 20 that can move along the transport direction can be provided.

Such an embodiment with a movable filling station 20 and two weighing devices 30 is shown in FIG Figure 4 shown.

This differs from the one in Figure 1 and with regard to the design of the control only in that one filling station 20 fills a row of containers 100 on / above a weighing device 30, while, for example, in the other row of containers 100 placed on a weighing device 30, the bar 40 is just opened and pulled away and the containers 100 are lowered onto the weight sensors 32 and a tare weighing is now carried out.

The gross weighing of the containers 100 that have just been filled then takes place in the same manner while the filling station 20 moves along the arrow to the row of containers 100 that has just been weighed in tare, in order to fill them after suitable lifting by the tongs 24. Otherwise, the system 10 operates Fig. 4 similar to that in Fig. 1 and also has a correspondingly designed control

Since the weighing takes considerably longer than the procedure and filling, the system is after Fig. 4 as fast as that after Fig. 1 , since the two weighing devices 30 in particular make the critical time component of the weighing less important.

Figures 5a and 5b show a further possible formation of the strips 40c. These are designed as hollow strips 40c and strip inserts 46 are also provided which can be pushed into the interior of hollow strips 40c or which are at least arranged to be displaceable therein.

The holes 42c, 42d of the hollow strip 40c include a circular section 42c and a triangular section 42d. The holes 48 of the strip inserts 46, however, are elliptical.

Furthermore, the system 10 or the transport device comprises centering inserts 50 such as the one in FIG Figures 5c and 5d shown with a lower end 52 suitable for coupling positioning on a weight sensor 32; the shape of this end 52 thus depends on the shape of the weight sensors 32 and vice versa.

Furthermore, the centering insert 50 has at an upper end a clamping device 54, 56 comprising a clamping holder 54 and a clamping block 56, which is elastically movably mounted in a guide recess 58, between which container ends of containers 100 can be clamped or centered.

The shape of the centering inserts 50 between the two ends essentially corresponds to a circle, with a triangular projection 60 being provided at a suitable height, so that the shape as a whole is suitable for passage through the holes 42c, 42d of the hollow strip 40c.

Depending on the position of the strip insert 46, the centering insert 50 can thus be released or retained in the downward direction.

Is based on, for example Figures 5a and 5b the strip insert 46 pushed into the hollow strip 40c, but relatively far below, blocks the one above of the elliptical holes 48 of the strip insert 46 in each case the triangular section 42d of the holes 42c, 42d. The projection 60 thus rests on the strip insert 46 and, due to the coupling of the strip insert 46 in the hollow strip 40c, is retained by the hollow strip 40c.

Is based on, for example Figures 5a and 5b the strip insert 46 pushed into the hollow strip 40c, but relatively high up, no area of the strip insert 46 blocks the holes 42c, 42d of the hollow strip 40c. Due to the matching shape, a centering insert 50 placed in a hole 42c, 42d is no longer blocked at the bottom and can load with its entire weight on, for example, the weight sensor 32 located below the bar.

When the weighing is finished, the bar insert 46 can be lifted slightly if necessary by slightly lifting the centering inserts 50 by means of e.g. the pliers 24 are moved again so that the centering insert 50 is again held by the hollow strip 40c.

In this way, on the one hand, the weighing process can be implemented in a technically simple manner and, on the other hand, containers 100 with different diameters can be clamped by the centering insert 50 and thus held by the hollow strips 40c.

Of course, other shapes of holes 42c, 42d, holes 48 and centering inserts 50 can also realize a corresponding connection, since it is sufficient for this if part of the cross-section of the holes 42c, 42d is blocked in one position of the strip insert 46 and none in another position Area is blocked.

As an alternative or in addition, the centering insert 50 can also comprise movable components in addition to the projection 60, which for example protrude above the strip 40 or hollow strip 40c and are moved accordingly to release.

In principle, both exemplary embodiments shown can also be designed without pliers or pliers device 24. Since these essentially serve the function of placing / lifting the container 100 from the weight sensors 32, the strips 40 and / or the weight sensors 32 can alternatively and / or additionally also be designed to be vertically movable individually or together.

Then, before opening a bar 40 or releasing it by moving a bar insert 46, the bar 40 is suitably lowered and / or the corresponding weight sensors 32 are suitably raised so that the weight of the containers 100 then immediately load on the weight sensors 32.

Then the bar 40 is closed again or the bar insert 46 is moved in a suitable manner for blocking. For this purpose, bars 40 or weight sensors 32 can be shifted slightly again in order to produce an optimal relative positioning between containers 100 or centering inserts 50 or bars 40 and / or bar inserts 46 for the purpose of engagement.

Claims (15)

1. System (10) for filling containers (100), in particular syringes, comprising:

   a multi-track transport device for transporting a plurality of rows of containers (100) in a transport direction, wherein the containers (100) are preferably vials, smaller bottles, test tubes and/or similar containers (100), in particular of the type used in the medical and/or pharmacological field;

   at least two weighing devices (30), which are arranged in succession below the transport device and along the transport device;

   at least one multi-track filling station (20), wherein the number of tracks of the filling station matches the number of tracks of the transport device, wherein the at least one filling station (20) is designed such that, by means of the at least one filling station (20), a process of filling rows of containers positioned above and/or at two of the at least two weighing devices (30) can be carried out;

   at least one sealing station (14);

   means (24, 44) for placing each row of containers (100) on one of the at least two weighing devices (30); and

   a controller configured to control the transport device such that each row of containers (100) is placed above and/or at a relevant weighing device (30) for a filling process, wherein the row of containers merely passes by the other weighing devices (30) without being placed at these other weighing devices (30) for a filling process.
2. System (10) according to claim 1, wherein the at least one filling station (20) can be moved in the transport direction from a first filling position for a process of filling a row of containers (100) positioned at one of the at least two weighing devices (30) to another filling position for a process of filling a row of containers (100) positioned at another of the at least two weighing devices (30).
3. System (10) according to either of the preceding claims, wherein the system comprises at least two multi-track filling stations (20) arranged in succession in the transport direction, wherein at least one of the filling stations (20) is preferably movable and/or wherein at least one of the filling stations (20) is preferably immovable and/or wherein at least two of the filling stations (20) are movable and are movable relative to one another.
4. System (10) according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the transport device is designed as at least one strip (40, 40c) per row of containers (100) and so as to have one through-hole (42, 42c) per track or container in a row of containers (100) in each strip.
5. System (10) according to claim 4, wherein
   the strip (40) is designed to have two arms, with one arm (40a, 40b) on each side of the holes (42), and is designed to be hinged; and/or
   the holes (42) are conical and taper from an upper face of the strip (40) towards a lower face of the strip (40); and/or
   the strip (40c) is designed as a hollow strip (40c), wherein the transport device further comprises strip inserts (46) that can be slid into the hollow strips (40c) and in a longitudinal direction of said hollow strips, wherein the strip inserts (46) each have one hole (48) per hole (42c) in the hollow strip; and/or
   the strips (40) are movable relative to one another, such that the distance between strips (40) that are in succession in the transport direction can be decreased and increased during transport; and/or
   the strips (40) are vertically movable, preferably individually.
6. System (10) according to either of the preceding claims 4 or 5, further comprising at least one centring insert (50), which can be guided through the holes (42, 42c) in the strips (40, 40c) due to its shape, wherein the centring insert (50) comprises one end (52) suitable for coupling to the weighing devices (30) and comprises a clamping device (54, 56) at the other end for clamping and/or centring a container, wherein the centring insert (50) preferably comprises a recess and/or a projection (60), in particular a resilient or resiliently mounted projection for engaging with retaining means (46) inside the strips (40, 40c).
7. System (10) according to any of the preceding claims, further comprising at least one gripper device (24) per filling station (20), which is designed to raise and/or lower at least one container (100), wherein, preferably with a dependency reference to any of claims 4 to 6, the gripper device (24) is designed such that the at least one container (100) can be raised from a hole in the strip and/or lowered onto a weight sensor (32) of the weighing device (30).
8. System (10) according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the distance between two weighing devices (30) of the at least two weighing devices (30) that are in succession in the transport direction is such that, when positioning each row of containers (100) at and/or above each of the successive weighing devices (30), there is either no space for a row of containers (100) between said rows of containers (100) or there is space for a number of rows of containers (100) that is equal to the total number of the at least two weighing devices (30) or corresponds to a multiple thereof.
9. System (10) according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the spatial arrangement of the at least two weighing devices (30) in the transport direction is such that it produces a number such that, in a transport pattern corresponding to a forward movement by this number of rows of containers followed by a filling stop followed by another forward movement by this number of rows of containers, each row of containers is only positioned at one of the weighing devices (30) once at one filling stop and is not positioned at one of the weighing devices (30) at all the other filling stops.
10. System (10) according to any of the preceding claims, wherein each filling station (20) has a number of filling needles (22) that is equal to the number of tracks and/or wherein each weighing device (30) has a number of weight sensors (32) that is equal to the number of tracks and/or wherein the sealing station (14) has a number of sealing actuators (16) that is equal to the number of tracks and/or wherein more than one sealing station (14) is provided, preferably one sealing station (14) for every two of the at least two weighing devices (30).
11. Method for filling containers (100), in particular using a system (10) according to any of the preceding claims, comprising the steps of:

    b) arranging empty containers in successive rows, wherein at least two containers are arranged per row;

    c) moving the rows in a transport direction; and

    d) applying one of the following sub-steps to each of the rows:

    d1) filling the containers in the row at a first filling point and moving these containers past at least one other filling point without filling;

    d2) moving the containers in the row past the first filling point and filling these containers at precisely one of the at least one other filling point.
12. Method for filling containers (100) according to claim 11, wherein steps b), c) and d) are applied to different containers and rows simultaneously, except for the filling according to sub-steps d1) and d2), which is preferably applied alternately or simultaneously to different container rows.
13. Method for filling containers (100) according to either claim 11 or claim 12, wherein moving the rows comprises the steps of:

    c1) moving the rows by a length corresponding to an integer multiple of the distance between two successive rows, wherein the integer multiple is at least two; and

    c2) stopping the rows and/or the plurality of rows and/or some rows for a processing time that corresponds at least to the time required for a filling process.
14. Method for filling containers (100) according to any of claims 11 to 13, wherein the containers (100) are weighed starting immediately before the filling until the filling is complete, are weighed immediately before and immediately after the filling, and/or the fill level and/or the absolute filling quantity are measured during this time period in another manner.
15. Method for filling containers (100) according to any of claims 11 to 14, wherein the method is applied in the alphabetical order of the steps, based on the containers (100) either individually or as an element of a row of containers (100).

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