Apparatus and method for transporting a vessel to and from a PECVD processing station

• US 9,572,526 B2
• Filed: 06/16/2014
• Issued: 02/21/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 05/13/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SiO2 Medical products Inc.
• Original Assignee: SiO2 Medical products Inc.
• Inventors: Felts, John T., Fisk, Thomas E., Abrams, Robert S., Ferguson, John, Freedman, Jonathan R., Pangborn, Robert J., Sagona, Peter J.
• Primary Examiner(s): SELLMAN, CACHET I
• Application Number:
  US14/305,202
• Publication Number:
  US 20140295053A1
• Time in Patent Office: 981 Days
• Field of Search: 118/503, 414/225.01
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150206 Construction or design features not otherwise provided for; manufacturing or production; packages; sterilisation of piercing element, piercing device or sampling device
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/154 Devices using pre-evacuated means
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2400/10 Materials for lubricating medical devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2420/02 Methods for coating medical devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2420/08 Coatings comprising two or more layers
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 31/088 Other specific inorganic materials not covered by A61L31/084 or A61L31/086
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 31/10 Macromolecular materials
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 31/14 Materials characterised by their function or physical properties , e.g. injectable or lubricating compositions, shape-memory materials, surface modified materials
• CPC Class Codes: B05C 13/00 Means for manipulating or holding work, e.g. for separate articles B05C1/0821 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B05C 13/025 relatively small cylindrical objects, e.g. cans, bottles
• CPC Class Codes: B23Q 7/04 by means of grippers B23Q7/1494 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B23Q 7/1494 using grippers
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/045 Coating cavities or hollow spaces, e.g. interior of tubes; Infiltration of porous substrates
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/401 containing silicon
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/458 characterised by the method used for supporting substrates in the reaction chamber
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/50 using electric discharges generation and control of plasma in discharge tubes for surface treatment H01J37/32, H01J37/34
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/505 using radio frequency discharges
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/52 Controlling or regulating the coating process C23C16/45557, C23C16/279 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/54 Apparatus specially adapted for continuous coating
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 15/082 Investigating permeability by forcing a fluid through a sample
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 23/2273 : Measuring photoelectron spectrum, e.g. electron spectroscopy for chemical analysis [ESCA] or X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy [XPS]
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 30/7206 : interfaced to gas chromatograph interfaces in general for introducing or extracting samples to be analysed with specially adapted mass spectrometer, see H01J49/04
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/00 : Investigating or analysing materials by specific methods not covered by groups G01N1/00 - G01N31/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/0096 : Testing material properties on thin layers or coatings
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/13 : Hollow or container type article [e.g., tube, vase, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/1383 : Vapor or gas barrier, polymer derived from vinyl chloride or vinylidene chloride, or polymer containing a vinyl alcohol unit is sandwiched between layers [continuous layer]

Abstract

Methods for processing a vessel, for example to provide a gas barrier or lubricity, are disclosed. First and second PECVD or other vessel processing stations or devices and a vessel holder comprising a vessel port are provided. An opening of the vessel can be seated on the vessel port. The interior surface of the seated vessel can be processed via the vessel port by the first and second processing stations or devices. Vessel barrier, lubricity and hydrophobic coatings and coated vessels, for example syringes and medical sample collection tubes are disclosed. A vessel processing system and vessel inspection apparatus and methods are also disclosed.

Claims

1. Apparatus for PECVD treatment of a first vessel having an open end, a closed end, and an interior space, comprising:

a vessel holder configured for seating to the open end of a vessel;

a first gripper configured for selectively holding and releasing the closed end of a vessel and, while gripping the closed end of the vessel, transporting the vessel to the vicinity of the vessel holder;

a seat on the vessel holder, the seat configured for establishing sealed communication between the vessel holder and the interior space of the first vessel;

a reactant supply operatively connected for introducing at least one gaseous reactant within the first vessel through the vessel holder;

a plasma generator configured for forming plasma within the first vessel under conditions effective to form a reaction product of the reactant on the interior surface of the first vessel;

a vessel release for unseating the first vessel from the vessel holder; and

a gripper which is the first gripper or another gripper, configured for axially transporting the first vessel away from the vessel holder, and then releasing the first vessel.

2. The invention of claim 1, further comprising

a series conveyor configured to transport grippers;

and

a second gripper configured for selectively holding and releasing the closed end of a vessel and, while gripping the closed end of the vessel, transporting the vessel to the vicinity of the vessel holder;

the first and second grippers operatively connected to the series conveyor and configured for successively transporting a series of at least two vessels to the vicinity of the vessel holder, seating the open ends of the vessels on the vessel holder, establishing sealed communication between the vessel holder and the interior of the second vessel, axially transporting the vessels away from the vessel holder, and releasing the vessels from the grippers.