MACHINE FOR FILLING A PLURALITY OF CONTAINERS, SYSTEM INCLUDING SUCH A MACHINE, AND RELATED MANUFACTURE METHOD

• US 20130174520A1
• Filed: 01/26/2011
• Published: 07/11/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/26/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: S.P.C. France
• Original Assignee: Andre Marc Sarwa
• Inventors: Tessier, Marc, Sarwa, Andr Marc
• Application Number:
  US13/575,246
• Publication Number:
  US 20130174520A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 53/452
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 1/02 Machines characterised by the incorporation of means for making the containers or receptacles from flat, folded, or tubular webs of flexible sheet material B65B9/00
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 1/04 Methods of, or means for, filling the material into the containers or receptacles
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 3/003 Filling medical containers such as ampoules, vials, syringes or the like
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 7/2821 applying plugs or threadless stoppers for bottles or jars B67B1/04

Abstract

The invention relates to a machine (1) for filling a plurality of containers (2) that are arranged in a display (3), said machine (1) including a rotatable dispensing member (4) that is designed for transferring a filling substance into the containers (2). Said machine is also characterized in that it includes a means (10) for rotating a display (3) so that the combination of the rotational movements of the dispensing member (4) and the display (3) makes it possible to correlate the dispensing member (4) with each container (2), with a view to filling the latter. The invention also relates to filling machines.

Claims

1. A machine (1) for filling a plurality of containers (2) arranged in a rack (3), said machine (1) comprising a dispensing unit (4) rotatable about a first axis of rotation (X-X′

), designed for transferring a filling substance into the containers (2), said dispensing unit (4) comprising a filling stylet (6), said machine (1) comprising a means (10) for driving the rack (3) in rotation about a second axis of rotation (Y-Y′

) so that the combination of the rotational movements of the dispensing unit (4) and the rack (3) makes possible the placement of the dispensing unit (4) in correspondence with each of the containers (2) in order to fill these latter, said machine being characterized in that the trajectory of the filling stylet (6) imparted by the rotation of the dispensing unit (4) substantially crosses said second axis of rotation (Y-Y′

).

2. A machine (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the rotatable dispensing unit (4) is also designed so as to be movable in translation, in order to be able to move closer to or away from each container (2) with which it is placed in correspondence.

3. A machine (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the filling stylet (6) is designed for filling one container (2) at a time.

4. A machine (1) according to claim 3, characterized in that it comprises a frame (5) on which said dispensing unit (4) and a means for driving the rack are mounted, the dispensing unit (4) comprising a filling arm (7) that extends between a first end (7A) toward which said filling arm (7) is pivotably mounted on the frame (5) and a second end (7B) toward which the filling stylet (6) is mounted on the filling arm (7).

5. A machine (1) according to claim 2, characterized in that said frame comprises a first column (8) on which said filling arm (7) is mounted through a sliding pivot connection.

6. A machine (1) according to claim 5, characterized in that the first column (8) extends predominantly vertically whereas the filling arm (7) extends predominantly horizontally.

7. A machine (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the driving means (10) of the rack (3) comprises a first rotatable table (11), on which the rack (3) is intended to rest.

8. A machine (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that said first and second axes of rotation (X-X′

, Y-Y′

) are substantially collinear to each other.

9. A machine (1) according to claim 5, characterized in that said first column (8) extends substantially about the first axis of rotation (X-X′

), whereas the first table (11) comprises a substantially planar surface (11A) for receiving the rack (3), which extends substantially perpendicular to the second axis of rotation (Y-Y′

).

10. A machine (1) according to claim 4, characterized in that the filling arm (7) is of invariable length.

11. A machine (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises a device (12) for plugging the containers (2), once these latter have been filled, by means of a plurality of plugs (13) arranged on a tray (14), said plugging device (12) comprising a rotatable unit (15) for handling the plugs (13) and a means (16) for rotational driving of the tray (14), so that, on the one hand, the combination of the rotational movements of the handling unit (15) and the tray (14) allows the placement of the handling unit (15) in correspondence with each of the plugs (13) in order for them to be gripped by the handling unit (15), and on the other hand, the combination of the rotational movements of the handling unit (15) and the rack (3) allows the placement of the handling unit (15) in correspondence with each of the containers (2) in order for them to be plugged.

12. A machine (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that it is designed for filling a plurality of containers (2) arranged into rows in a rack (3) of the nest type.

13. A machine (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that said containers (2) are tubular containers (2), formed preferably by syringe bodies.

14. A system comprising:

a machine (1) according to claim 1,

a rack (3) of the nest type,

a plurality of containers (2), such as syringe bodies, arranged into rows in said rack (3).

16. A machine (1) according to claim 2, characterized in that the filling stylet (6) is designed for filling one container (2) at a time.

17. A machine (1) according to claim 4, characterized in that said frame comprises a first column (8) on which said filling arm (7) is mounted through a sliding pivot connection.

18. A machine (1) according to claim 17, characterized in that the first column (8) extends predominantly vertically whereas the filling arm (7) extends predominantly horizontally.

19. A machine (1) according to claim 2, characterized in that the driving means (10) of the rack (3) comprises a first rotatable table (11), on which the rack (3) is intended to rest.

20. A machine (1) according to claim 4, characterized in that the driving means (10) of the rack (3) comprises a first rotatable table (11), on which the rack (3) is intended to rest.

15. A method of manufacturing a first container (20) containing a filling substance, said method comprising a step of filling said first container (20), which belongs to a plurality of containers (2) arranged in a rack (3), said filling step comprising a transfer of the filling substance into the first container (20) by means of a dispensing unit (4) comprising a filling stylet (6), the filling step including, before said transfer of the filling substance into the first container, a placement of the dispensing unit (4) and the first container (20) in correspondence with each other by rotating the dispensing unit (4) and the rack (3) about a first and a second axis of rotation (X-X′

, Y-Y′

), respectively, said method being characterized in that the trajectory of the filling stylet (6) imparted by the rotation of the dispensing unit (4) substantially crosses said second axis of rotation (Y-Y′

).