Robotic filling systems and methods
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method for filling containers with a pharmaceutical product within a chamber configured to maintain an aseptic condition, the method comprisingproviding the chamber, the chamber comprising at least one port, a holding arm and a filling arm both disposed within the chamber and both operable by a user exterior to the chamber;
- operating the holding arm to transfer into the chamber a tray bearing the containers;
wherein operating the holding arm includes bending at least one articulation in the holding arm,closing the port to isolate the chamber after operating the holding arm;
sterilizing the chamber to achieve an aseptic condition in the chamber after providing the chamber;
guiding a filling portion of the filling arm to a location over an opening of at least one of the containers;
wherein guiding a filling portion of the filling arm includes bending at least one articulation in the filing arm,dispensing the pharmaceutical product into the at least one of the containers via the filling portion after sterilizing the chamber; and
dispensing further pharmaceutical product in to further ones of the containers via the filling portion;
operating the holding arm to transfer out of the chamber the tray bearing the containers into which product has been dispensed;
operating the holding arm to transfer into the chamber a tray bearing additional containers;
wherein the additional containers have a different dimension from the containers into which product has been dispensed;
closing the port to isolate the chamber after operating the holding arm to transfer the tray bearing additional containers;
guiding the filling portion of the filling arm to a location over an opening of at least one of the further containers; and
dispensing further pharmaceutical product in to the further containers via the filling portion.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Systems and methods are disclosed, which permit filling containers with a product. A filling arm is disposed within a chamber and an optical sensor is configured to sense openings of the containers within the chamber. Locations of the sensed openings are used to guide the filling arm to fill the containers with a product.
-
Citations
36 Claims
-
1. A method for filling containers with a pharmaceutical product within a chamber configured to maintain an aseptic condition, the method comprising
providing the chamber, the chamber comprising at least one port, a holding arm and a filling arm both disposed within the chamber and both operable by a user exterior to the chamber; -
operating the holding arm to transfer into the chamber a tray bearing the containers;
wherein operating the holding arm includes bending at least one articulation in the holding arm,closing the port to isolate the chamber after operating the holding arm; sterilizing the chamber to achieve an aseptic condition in the chamber after providing the chamber; guiding a filling portion of the filling arm to a location over an opening of at least one of the containers;
wherein guiding a filling portion of the filling arm includes bending at least one articulation in the filing arm,dispensing the pharmaceutical product into the at least one of the containers via the filling portion after sterilizing the chamber; and dispensing further pharmaceutical product in to further ones of the containers via the filling portion; operating the holding arm to transfer out of the chamber the tray bearing the containers into which product has been dispensed; operating the holding arm to transfer into the chamber a tray bearing additional containers;
wherein the additional containers have a different dimension from the containers into which product has been dispensed;closing the port to isolate the chamber after operating the holding arm to transfer the tray bearing additional containers; guiding the filling portion of the filling arm to a location over an opening of at least one of the further containers; and dispensing further pharmaceutical product in to the further containers via the filling portion. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36)
-
Specification