Method and apparatus for controlling the filling of containers under aseptic conditions

• US 6,796,108 B2
• Filed: 03/14/2003
• Issued: 09/28/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/26/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Grifols SA
• Original Assignee: Grifols SA
• Inventors: Sanchez Sabate, José R., Jorba Ribes, Javier, Morales Pérez, Ramón
• Primary Examiner(s): Smith, Scott A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lopez, Michelle
• Application Number:
  US10/389,339
• Publication Number:
  US 20030188512A1
• Time in Patent Office: 564 Days
• Field of Search: 534/25, 534/26, 53/75, 534/11, 534/15, 531/313, 531/361, 53/77, 534/95, 534/93, 532/82, 532/846, 531/67, 535/07--08
• US Class Current: 53/507
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 3/006 Related operations, e.g. scoring ampoules
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 55/027 Packaging in aseptic chambers
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 57/00 Automatic control, checking, warning, or safety devices registering wrapping or container-forming material fed from rolls B65B41/18
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 61/26 for marking or coding completed packages

Abstract

The method comprises viewing by of a magnetic recording camera the zone for the opening of vials and for metered filling thereof and continuously recording the zones visually during the operation of the installation and simultaneously carrying out the identification marking of each full glass container, with indelible marking means, at the outlet of the installation.

Claims

1. A method for controlling filling of containers under aseptic conditions, comprising the steps of sterilizing the containers and the lids associated therewith, opening and metered filling of the containers, and recapping the filled containers, characterized in that said method includes the steps of continuously magnetically recording by a camera for subsequent viewing the opening and metered filling of each container, and identification marking each full container, with indelible marking means, in synchronization with the magnetic recording of such full container.

2. A method according to claim 1, characterized in that synchronization of the operation and the marking of time on the video camera or-the-like and on the walls of the glass container is carried out during the marking operation.

3. A method according to claim 1, characterized in that in the indelible marking of the full containers, the batch number, the time in hours, minutes and seconds at which marking is carried out, and a sequential order number are marked.

4. An apparatus for carrying out the method of claim 1, which comprises a work station for feeding the partially closed and sterilized empty containers to the zone for opening and metered filling of the containers, which is contained in an enclosure separated by partitions from the other zones of the installation, comprising means for opening the vials and for their metered filling, and the installation then having a capping zone and a discharge table for the full containers, characterized in that the enclosure containing the zones for opening of the containers and the zone for metered filling thereof a video camera is arranged which focuses on the section for opening of the containers and the metered filling zone, in order to enable the magnetic recording of the operations of opening of the containers and of metered filling thereof to take place continuously, with indication of the hour, minutes and seconds at which said operations are carried out, and in that said camera is synchronized with a station for indelible marking of the walls of the containers, before they emerge from the installation, whereby the recording of the operations can be viewed at a later time.

5. An apparatus according to claim 4, characterized in that the device for indelibly marking the containers is a laser marking device.