DE2117403A1 - Dispensing device for filling a hypodermic syringe - Google Patents

Description

Patent attorneys Dipl.-Ing. RWeickmann,

Dipl.-Ing. H.Weickmann, Dipl.-Phys. Dr. K. Fincke Dipl.-Ing. F. A-Weickmann, Dipl.-Chem. B. Huber

8 MUNICH 86, April 8, 1971 PO Box 860 820

MÖHLSTRASSE 22, NUMBER 48 39 21/22

(983921/22)

Sherwood Medical Industries, Inc.

1831 Olive Street

St. Louis, Missouri / V. St. A.

Dispensing device for filling a hypodermic syringe

The invention relates to a dispensing device for filling an injection syringe with a medicament.

Various procedures are known to be used in hospitals To fill injection syringes. One of these methods uses a single drug container, from which several syringes are filled by a nurse or a technician in the hospital. These containers often have a closure made of rubber or some other synthetic material covering the open end of the

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container constantly covers and through which the needles of the syringes are inserted.

Each syringe is filled by inserting the needle through the canister seal and manually withdrawing the plunger of the syringe until the technician determines the desired level of medication in the syringe, then stopping the plunger retraction and the needle is pulled out of the container seal. This process is repeated with several syringes until the medication in the container is used up ₀ ρ The container is then thrown away.

This method has several disadvantages. One of these drawbacks is that the process is very slow and requires great skill in order to achieve the correct filling level in the tube of the syringe. Another, far more serious disadvantage is the contamination of the syringes from repeated piercing the same drug container seal or by the operator's hands.

In order to eliminate these disadvantages, a filling device has been proposed which can be used for precise, rapid and aseptic Filling the syringes in the hospital is usable. This device has a turntable assembly that holds the syringes and moves them from a first station, where a syringe is filled, to a second station, in which the syringe plunger is introduced, and then switches to a third station in which the plunger activated in a manner to be explained in detail later

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will. A pump is provided to transfer the medicament from a pre-filled medicament container to the filling station to promote.

When the drug is being dispensed from the container to the syringes, there is a problem of contamination of the filling device and in particular the problem of contamination of the main filling pump, the valve for controlling the Medicament flow and the nozzle arranged at the filling station. Therefore, when a drug container is empty and a new container with a different drug is inserted, this means that the pump line, the valve and the nozzle using conventional dispensing methods a remainder of the medicament from the previous container Contain an impurity as a result of the long external action on the drug residue or as a result a change in medication.

The invention is therefore based on the object of eliminating the aforementioned disadvantages and providing a possibility manage to fill injection syringes free of contamination,

This object is achieved by a frame, a pump on the frame with an outlet port, a filling station on the frame to arrange the syringe for receiving the medicament, a disposable container, a first line which is connected to the container and releasable to the is connected sstutζen of read and to deliver a second line which is connected to the container around the Medikamentvon the container to the syringe.

The drug delivery device has a container cap with ports adapted to attach the seal

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to pierce a medication container when the seal is placed on the top of the container. the The cap has a recess on the circumference into which the spaced projections of the frame of the filling device engage can to keep the container in the inverted position.

A first flexible plastic line can be attached to the cap go out, which is connected to one of the terminals of the cap. The other end of this line can be releasably attached to a Outlet nozzle of the pump are connected to the frame of the filling device. The pump only pumps air through it Outlet port so that it does not come into contact with the medication.

A second flexible plastic line also extends from the cap and is connected to the other connector is ο This line is the outlet line of the container that passes through a during operation of the dispenser optionally lockable clamping valve is screwed, which compresses the pipe from the outside and the dispensing process initiates or terminates. In this way, the valve does not come into contact with the drug, so that it does not need to be sterilized after use.

At one end of this discharge line is in one piece a nozzle is formed which is part of the dispensing device. This ^ Hise is made of a nozzle holder carried, which is part of the filling device at the filling station. The nozzle holder, however, comes with the drug not in touch.

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"The entire filling device is thus through the drug not contaminated and, moreover, the dispensing device is isolated from the filling device so that a Contamination by the drug is avoided.

The cap, the lines and the nozzle can be used as a unit packed in an aseptic plastic container to the Hospital in which the filling device is located. The packaging container is used for the use of the dispensing device opened and the cap is placed on the desired medication container. The lines are then connected in the correct way and the device operated until the medication is in the container is used up. The container and the entire dispensing device including the cap, lines and the nozzle are then discarded. If more syringes are to be filled, a new dispenser is required connected to a new container and both are inserted into the filling device in the same way.

The invention can therefore be summarized to the effect that a container, a container cap, connecting lines and a nozzle for filling a plurality of injection syringes are provided, which can be thrown away after the medicament in the container has been used up in order to reduce or prevent contamination of the associated filling device remove. The container filled with the medicament has a seal at the open end of the container. The cap for the container has connections which can be pushed through the container seal when the cap is placed on the container.

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The cap has a groove so that it can easily be detachably connected to the filling device. To the cap a first plastic line is connected to it is connected to one connection and the free end of which is detachably connected to an outlet port of a pump, which is assigned to the filling device. In addition, • a second line is connected to the container cap, which is connected to the other port to transfer the drug from the container to the filling station in the associated Dispense filling device. A nozzle is provided in one piece at the end of the second line, so that the Drug does not come into contact with any part of the filling device *

An exemplary embodiment of the invention is explained below with reference to FIGS. 1 to 16. It shows:

1 shows a perspective view of the filling device with a disposable dispensing device,

FIG. 2 shows a perspective illustration of the device from FIG. 1 without injection syringes and without the dispensing device, FIG.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the filling device of FIG Cover is removed,

FIG. _O k shows a sectional side view of the filling device,

Figure 5 is a rear view of the filling device with the lid removed and with certain parts for clarity are omitted for the sake of

6 shows a plan view of one of the upper turntable mounts,

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Fig. 7 is a vertical section of one of the upper turntable shales,

8 shows a perspective illustration of the control device for releasing the plunger of a syringe (see also FIG. 2) _f

Fig. 9 shows the disposable face dispenser relative to a Tube of a syringe, which is located at the filling station,

10 shows a section of the container cap of the dispensing device (see also FIG. 1),

Figure 11 shows the disposable dispenser in its packaged state State (see also Fig. 9) »

Fig. 12 is a schematic representation of a syringe at the filling station and the photocell for measuring the Levels of the drug (see also Fig. 3, 13, 14, 15),

13 shows a schematic representation of a syringe at the filling station and the photocell for determining the Levels of the drug (see also Fig. 3 »12, 15),

14 is a schematic representation of a syringe in FIG Piston insertion device,

15 is a schematic representation of the syringes which run through the device for releasing the piston (see also Fig. 3, 12, I3 and 14),

16 is a circuit diagram of a solid state control circuit of the filling apparatus.

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Figures 1 to 5 show an automatic injection syringe filling machine 10 which can preferably be used in a hospital. The filling machine has a turntable indexing table 12 for holding the injection syringe parts, a disposable device 14 for dispensing a medicament to open syringe tubes at a syringe filling station, a plunger inserting device 16 for releasing the syringe plungers from the turntable holder, and a control arrangement on a control station for the plunger inserting device in f to bring a state in which a sealing plug associated with a syringe plunger is dispensed in the syringe barrel.

For a better understanding of the structure, the mode of operation and the advantages of the present device, an injection syringe is first described, for the filling and assembly of which the present device is particularly suitable. 12 shows an injection syringe 20, which consists of an injection syringe tube 22 with a needle arrangement (not shown) which is inserted into a protective cover arrangement 24 o The syringe fc 20 is arranged in the protective cover 2k before it is inserted into the turntable 12. The syringe 20 also has a plunger assembly 25 having an inner plunger and a rubber stopper 27 at its end and a flange 28 at its upper end. The piston 26 surrounds a sleeve 30 with a flange 31 ^a n its upper end.

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The sleeve 30 is in the position shown in FIG in their operative position and surrounds the plug and presses it together. The sleeve 30 has a Play on when it is in the syringe barrel 22 is introduced so that it slides loosely in the tube and trapped air can be removed. How yourself later results, the sleeve 30 is lifted after the Piston assembly 25 inserted into a filled tube 22 has been so that the plug 27 is loosened and it the resilient plug is allowed to expand in the tube 22 and thereby the medicament therein from now on.

The filling device 10 comprises a lower frame 36 and an upper frame 38 which are separated by vertical struts 40, which are on the frame parts and attached by fasteners 39 "40 ^f 38, as Fig. 5 shows. A vertical bank 42 extends upward from the upper frame part 38 and separates the front and rear parts of the device 10. Appropriate cover members 45, 46 and 47 are provided to enclose the frames and parts of the apparatus which, in normal use, do not need to be manipulated by the operator.

As FIG. 4 shows, the turntable 12 has a stationary, annular support 50 which is fastened to the left front side (FIG. 1) of the frame part 38 by screws 51. A turntable support sleeve 52, which is supported by frame parts 53, is arranged in the support 50. Appropriate means are provided to prevent rotation of the sleeve 52 in the support 50 . the

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Ralimenteile 53 are fastened to a parallel frame plate 55 by screws 5 ^. The frame plate 55 is in turn vertically supported by a screwed member 58, which is accommodated by a screw in a pin 59 which is carried by the plate 55th

In the sleeve 52 the turntable drive shaft 61 is arranged, which is rotatably mounted in bearings 62 and 63 _o The shaft 61 has a projection 65 which extends vertically from the level of the bearing 62, which on a lower, wheel-like turntable part 67 is wedged »By means of suitable screw fastening elements, an upper rotary table part 68 is attached to the lower rotary table part 67, which is annular in shape.

FIG. 2 shows that the lower turntable part 67 has an upper ring 72, of which an annular plate 73 protrudes which has a plurality of conical openings 75 which receive a syringe tube flange 77 shown in FIG. A radial slot 78 is associated with each conical opening 75 to allow the To be able to use the tube of an injection syringe.

Below the support plate 73 there is a similar ring-shaped one Plate 79 attached which has a plurality of stepped annular openings 80 which are sized so that they can accommodate the greater part of the protective cover 24, which is shown in FIG. Each of these openings 80 dst assigned a radial slot 82 to accommodate the to create the lower part of the protective sheath 24 during the insertion and removal of the syringe in the turntable * The lower support plate 79 is supported by integral struts 83 shown in FIGS are.

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The upper support plate 68 has a plurality of stepped openings 85 (FIG. H) in an annular arrangement which are aligned with the conical openings 75 in the plate 73 and the stepped openings 80 in the lower plate 79 and correspond in number to these. In the pin holes 85, as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, piston holders 87 are arranged, which are made of elastic plastic material. The plunger holders 87 have an annular part 88 which is arranged in the stepped opening 85, as well as four arcuate, radially extending projections 90 »which extend approximately to the diameter of the sleeve 30 of the plunger of the injection syringe, as FIG. 7 shows. The piston holders 87 hold the pistons 26 by engaging the * underside of the sleeve flanges 3I. The projections 90 have sufficient elasticity so that when the top of the flange 3I is pressed down by the piston assembly, as will be explained later by Miner, the flange 3I presses the elastic projections 90 downward so that the piston 26 can be detached from the holder 87. In the illustrated embodiment, 12 holders are provided.

To index the turntable 12, a stepping motor 92 is provided, which is shown in Fig. H. The motor 92 is held on the underside of a transmission ^ k which is fastened to the underside of the turntable frame part 55. The gearbox $ k enables a suitable speed reduction of the output shaft of the motor 92. The gearbox 94 has an output shaft 96 which drives a steering wheel 98 of a Geneva cross assembly 100.

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The Geneva cross arrangement: ensures the correct indexing movement of the turntable 12 at a substantially constant rotational speed of the motor 92 . However, the motor 92 is switched on and off at the end of each switching movement.

The Maltese cross assembly includes the steering wheel 98 having a plurality of pins 102 which protrude upwardly and engage control slots of a Maltese cross I03 attached to the lower end of the turntable drive shaft 61. The Maltese Cross. IO3 iiat the usual shape and has several radial slots (not shown) in which the pins 102 engage and move the Maltese cross IO3 and the shaft 61 in successive switching positions. A microswitch 105 is provided between the frame parts 55 and 53, as shown in FIG. K indicates the position of the stepper motor control disk to determine 98 and 92 to control the stepper motor as well as the piston assembly as it later from the description of the control circuit results in detail.

A filling station 110 for the injection syringe tubes is provided as Figures 1, Figures 3 and h, and has a vertical support member 112 that is fixed to the rotary table frame plate 53, as shown in FIG hr., And slidably through a grommet 115 in the The vertical support element 112 extends up to approximately the holding plate 73 and has a horizontal nozzle holder 117 attached thereto, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3.

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As shown in FIG. 9, the holder 117 releasably holds its nozzle 120 in such a way that the medicament which is discharged from the nozzle in no way touches the nozzle holder.

In order to supply a medicament to the nozzle 120 and from this into an empty syringe in the station 110, a pneumatic pump 119 is attached in the rear part of the device 12 to the upper main frame part 38 , as FIG. 3 shows. The pump 119 is driven by a motor 120 ′ and is likewise carried by the frame part 38. Pump II9 is an air pump that does not pass medication through it, eliminating the possibility of medication contamination of the pump *

The pump inlet tube 122 is fixed in the vertical wall 42 and opens to the front of the machine so that ambient air can be drawn into the pump 119. The inlet pipe 122 is connected to the pump connection stub 123 via a flexible pipe 124. The pump outlet pipe 125 is connected via a pipe I30 to a pump outlet pipe 128 also on the front wall 42 of the device. The outlet pipe 128 may have a control valve that only allows flow out of the pipe 128. In this way, an unintentional reversal of the flow and an aspiration of the medicament into the pump through the tube I30 can be prevented. A suitable air filter can be provided in the inlet tube 124, if desired.

The drug delivery from the delivery device 14 to the filling station 110 can be controlled by a pinch valve 14O. This valve works in such a way that it does that

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flexible delivery tube 142 closes and in this way cannot be contaminated by contact with the drug. The clamping valve 14O has a stationary one Valve member 143 with a rear opening 144 for receiving a reciprocating slide 146. The valve member 143 also has a vertical opening ■ 147 on, in which the tube i42 received dst. To that Holding tube 142 in opening 147 is a screw 150 screwed into the closed end of the valve member 143 and engages the front of the pipe. The slide 146 can move forward and that Compress tube i42 so that it is completely closed and a flow through the pipe is prevented.

The clamping slide 146 is biased in the closed position by a helical spring and optionally withdrawn to an open position of the valve by a solenoid 153 (FIGS. 3 and 5) which is held on the vertical plate 42 by a horizontally extending arm. When the solenoid 153 is energized by a control circuit described later, the spool 146 is partially withdrawn from the stationary valve member 143 so that the delivery tube 142 can open and initiate a flow of medicament to the nozzle 120, which the tube of the injection syringe in the station 110 fills.

The disposable dispenser 14 is shown in FIG and has a prefilled, disposable drug bottle 160 attached at its top open end has a seal 16I, as shown in FIG. 10, that of

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a holding element 162 is held. The pre-filled Drug bottle 160 is a common container. if the medicine supply in the bottle is exhausted, the bottle is thrown away.

In the dispensing device there is a plastic container cap 104 which has a counterbore I65 which is pushed over the holding element 162 during the closure of the bottle 160. The cap 164 has having two angular connectors 167 and 168, which integrally .with its molded Video- _e The terminals are made of metal tubes, the tapered ends 169 and 17P, which pierce the seal 16I, when the cap is placed 164 arn end of the container . Although the cap 164 can be easily removed from the bottle 160, the friction between the connectors i67t I68 and the seal keeps the cap 164 and bottle I60 together as a unit. They are therefore generally thrown away together.

The outside of the * cap 164 has an annular recess 172 which is releasably but not fixedly held by two projections 174, 176 which are formed in one piece with the frame plate kZ, as FIGS. 1 and 10 show. In this manner, the cap 164 and bottle 160 can be easily inserted and held by the plate and just as easily removed after the drug in the bottle 160 has been dispensed.

The cap * [6k has one-piece projections I78 and, which serve as connecting pieces for the delivery tube 142 and an air pressure tube 181. The opposite end

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of tube 181 is detachable from pump outlet tube 128 connected to the front panel 42. As described above the other tube, which is from the cap 164 exiting, i.e., the dispensing tube 142, a stepped nozzle 120, which is integrally formed at the end thereof.

As shown in FIG. 11, the cap 164 and the tubes 142 are and 1S1 in a flexible, aseptic before use Plastic container I83 packed. Hence the dispenser remains in an aseptic until just before use, when the I83 container is opened State.

When the filling device 10 is being prepared for operation and when a new medicament container 160 is used, a container I83 is opened and a new dispensing device is removed. The cap 164 is pushed over the end of the bottle 160 and pierces the seal I6I with the sharp connection ends I69 and 170. The tube 1S1 is then connected to the pump outlet tube 128 and the delivery tube 142 is through the opening 147 * in the pinch valve jko screwed. The nozzle 120 is then inserted into the nozzle holder 117 and the dispenser is ready to operate. A suitable circuit is provided to energize the solenoid 153 at this time and to allow the tube 142 to be inserted, as will be apparent from the description of the control circuit of FIG. 16 below.

When the power to the device 10 is turned on by a button 183 on the front of the machine 10

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is switched, the motor 12O begins to pump ¹ air through the pipes I30 and 1ST and through the connection 168 into the container bottle. This pressurizes the bottle and tries to force the drug through the delivery tube 1 ^ 2. As each syringe moves into fill station 110, valve 140 is automatically opened for a sufficient time to fill the syringe tube to a predetermined level. The valve is then closed and prevents further flow.

When the drug in the bottle 160 is used up or when it is against a bottle with another If the drug is to be changed, the tube i42 is unscrewed from the valve 140 and the tube 181 is disconnected from the pump outlet tube 128. The bottle 160 and cap 164 are then removed from the protrusions 174 and 176 removed and the entire unit can be thrown away will. If the bottle 160 is not empty, the cap can be removed and the bottle 160 can be kept for later use with a new dispenser.

To control the level of medicament in the tube of the syringe at the filling station 110, a photoelectric circuit with a lamp I86 and a photocell 188 is provided, as shown in FIG. The ^ ampe I86 can be loaded on the stationary support 50 near the filling station 110.

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while the photocell 188 is located on the opposite side of the tube of the syringe at the filling station. Such a location is shown schematically at I89 in FIG. 3, in which a photocell receives a signal from lamp I86 via passage 190 in frame 42. As will be explained in detail later, the photocell 188 is activated whenever an unfilled tube 22 of a syringe arrives at the filling station 110, and controls the valve 14O for the delivery of medication to the tube. When it reaches photocell 188, the photocell turns off, closing valve 140 and stopping the outflow of medication to the tube of the syringe.

In order to change the level of the medicament in the tube 22 of the syringe, the entire turntable is vertically adjustable is attached to the lower end and slidably rests against a pressure disk 196 on the lower frame part 36. The part 58 has a downwardly projecting pin which extends through the frame part 36 and is held by a retaining element 200. The rotation of the worm gear 194 causes the screwed part 58 to rotate vertically in the pin 59 and the entire turntable assembly including the frame parts 53 » 55t of the sleeve 53» of the lower turntable part 67, the upper turntable part 68 and the nozzle holder 112 are adjusted.

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In order to rotate the worm gear 19 ^, a worm wheel 202 is provided which is arranged in bearing projections 204 and 206, as shown in FIG Kand rotary knob ZIh carries on the distal end, as Fig. 1 and 5 shows.

Dux-ch adjusting the height of the turntable assembly 12 can the vertical position of the syringe in the filling station 110 relative to lamp 186 and photocell 188, both of which are stationary relative to the frame are arranged and do not move vertically with the turntable.

The piston insertion device 16 operates in the station generally designated as 216 in FIGS. As can be seen from the following, the turntable 12 is indexed counterclockwise in FIG. 3 so that the piston one device 216 is the second work station for each of the syringes. as shown in Figure h , moves downwardly and engages flange 31 on barrel 30 of the syringe and pushes plunger 26 of syringe off holder 87. When plunger plug 27 penetrates tube 22 of the syringe, tool head 218 continues its stroke and grasps the plug 27 as shown in FIG.

As shown in Fig. K , the piston inserting device 16 comprises a ring which has a plurality of projections 220 at the lower end. The protrusions 220 are sufficient

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long, so that the tool head 218 can grip over the basket flange 28 without grasping it. The tool head 218 is? On a tappet reciprocated is igetrieben ^ar of a piston engine 223 »

The tool head 218 is attached to a horizontal rod 225 which is attached to the upper end of a vertically reciprocating rod 226 which is slidable in a guide 227 which is attached to the top of the frame part 38 »A guide rod 229 is on the guide 227 to prevent any pivoting movement of the head 218 about the rod 226. The rod 226 has a lower bifurcated end 230 which is pivotally connected to one end of a link 232 (shown in section in Figure 4). The other end of the connecting piece is pivotably arranged on a stationary support part 235. Between the ends of the connecting piece 232 and supported by it ₉ there is a follower element 236 displaceable in a raceway 238 in a cylindrical driver 239. The driver 239 is received by a shaft 240 and via the motor 223

"A gear 2 ^ 3 is driven, which is attached to the top of the frame part 38. The driver 239 performs one full rotation per reciprocating movement of the head 218. The piston motor is switched off after each revolution of the driver 239. For this purpose a microswitch 2kk is provided to sense the retracted position of the head 218.

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The third and last station of the device 10 is the control station 20, in which the sleeve 30 of each Syringe relative to the plug 27 is raised. However, the control station 20 does not move the plug 27 axially in the tube 22, but only lifts the sleeve to expand the guinmi plug 27 in the housing can, so that the drug is sealed and the piston is brought into the operative position.

For this purpose an arcuate retaining element 250 is provided provided at the control station, as shown in FIGS 8 and 8 show that extends over the lower support plate 73 »but below the upper support plate 68. the Plate 250 has an arcuate, tapered shape Control channel 252, which has a slot 253 in the lower Has channel portion which is of sufficient width to receive the sleeve 30, but narrower than is the diameter of the flange 3I of the sleeve. guides 255 and 256, which are attached to the control channel 252 extend in the direction of station 216, as shown in FIG. 3, around sleeve 30 into control channel 252 respectively. As Fig. 15 shows, the control channel has an upper surface 25 ^ and a lower surface 258, which to the Converge end 259 of the channel. The upper part 254 of the channels serves to hold the flange 28 while the lower part 158 leads the flange 31 upwards until it rests against flange 28, as shown in the right syringe in FIG.

After the syringes, which are partially surrounded by a protective cover, have left the control station 20, they can they are removed.

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211740Ί

Ira following is how the filling device works 10 described in summary.

After the operator has the Medikaraentabgabevorrichtung i4 mounted and the button was pressed I83, the empty syringes into the rotary table near dex- point 27O in Figure _e 1 are introduced in that the surrounded with the protective cover syringes in the lower support plates 73 and 79 and the Piston assemblies 25 can be inserted into the upper turntable plate 68. A button 278 is provided to keep the solenoid 153 independent.

'to be actuated depending on the automatic control in order to open the valve fko and to be able to insert the pipe 142 into the valve. The operator then presses a manually operated switch button 272 which switches the turntable 12 to the next station. When the turntable has moved one step further, the operator inserts another tube and piston, again presses button 272 so that the turntable is indexed again. The operator ^ then proceeds to insert syringes into the turntable in this manner and the only further operation that the operator has to perform is

ψ consists in removing the filled syringes at point 275. All other functions of the device are carried out fully automatically. The operator continues to depress button 272 after filling each syringe until the first empty syringe arrives at nozzle holder 117. The presence of a • tube of a syringe is detected by a suitable switch, which will be described in more detail below, in the filling station 110, and an indication that the

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Syringe is not filled, is generated by the photocell, as a result of which the solenoid 153 is energized and the valve 140 is opened, which initiates the filling process of the syringe in the station 110. When the level of the drug in the syringe at the filling station reaches the scanning height of the photocell (Fig. 13), the signal from the photocell 188 causes the control circuit to activate the solenoid 153, which closes the valve ikO and stops the flow of medication to the syringe »

In response to the completion of the filling of the first syringe, the stepping motor 92 is energized and rotates the turntable 12 to the next station, the first syringe being brought to the plunger insertion device 216 and the second syringe to the filling station 110. In response to the termination of the stepping motion, the motor 22.3 is energized to move the tool head 21S downward and dispense the plunger assembly 25 into the aligned tube 22 of a syringe. As the tool head 218 continues its downward stroke, the plug 27 engages the tube 22. The enclosed air generates sufficient pressure to hold the plug 27, which allows all of the air to escape except for a small residual amount.

After completion of the rotation of the driver 239, a Switch, e.g. switch 2 ^ 4, open in the control circuit, so that the circle drives the turntable stepping rotor in such a way that when a signal is received that indicates that another tube of a syringe is filled in the station, the step movement starts again.

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It is then the first syringe into the control station 20 brought, where it then begins after a switching movement, to enter the control channel 252 after two consecutive Switching movements, the first syringe, as shown in FIG. 3, has completely passed through the control channel 252, in which the sleeve 30 is moved upwards, which the Releases the plunger in the tube of the syringe and completes the fill and plunger insertion process of the device will. This sequence of operations is carried out step by step, fully automatically and only requires that the operator the syringes "starts at station 270 and

v removes it again at station 275. The process continues by pressing button I83 again which ends all functions of the filling device 10.

16 shows an exemplary control circuit for the filling device 10 according to the invention. As explained above, three pushbutton switches I83, 272 and 278 are provided as operating terminals of this circuit on the front of the device. Button I83 is connected to a switch, not shown, which supplies AC power to motors 92, 223 and 120 'and DC power to the control circuit shown. The knob 278 ~ to open the valve closes at the Solenöidspule 300 ^to energize the solenoid 153, which is connected to the emitter of transistor 302 to switch 316. In this way, the tube 142 can be passed through the valve 14O.

The base of transistor 302 is connected to the collector of transistor 306 through a relay contact 304, which is closed when power is supplied. The base

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of the transistor 306 is connected to a double-pole lever switch 308 via a resistor 310. The switch 308 is arranged at the filling station 110 in such a way that the contacts 312 are closed when the tube of a syringe is in the filling phase, and the contacts 311 are closed, if there is no pipe in the station. Contact 31I of switch 308 is connected to positive DC voltage through resistor ^ h and to ground through a normally open solenoid control switch 316.

At the start of operation of the device, switch 308 closes contact 3II and the solenoid switch 316 is open so that transistor 306 conducts and transistor 302 does not conduct, thereby actuating the solenoid coil 300 is excluded and the solenoid valve i4o is held in its closed position.

In order to effect the manual incremental switching by depressing button 272 during the initial loading of the device, as described above, button 272 is switched to operate switch 318. The switch 318 has a normally open contact 320 and a normally closed contact 322. When the contact 320 closes, the transistor 32h is switched on, which in turn applies a high voltage to the input 326 of the OR gate 328. The output voltage of the OR gate 328 rises and causes the transistor 330 to conduct and apply a high voltage to the input 332 of the AND gate 338. The other inputs 334 and 336 of AND gate 338 are normally high at this point in the sequence

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Voltage and thus a high voltage occurs at the output of 338, which causes an output signal of the OR gate 34o, which switches on the transistor jkz and lights up the lamp 3 ^. The light from the lamp 344 activates the photoresistor 346, which causes the capacitor 3 ^ 8 to be charged until the neon lamp 350 ignites, so that the triac 352 switches and ^{actuates the stepper motor 9 2} , which moves the turntable into the next switching position. The switch 384, which corresponds to the switch 105 in FIG. 4, closes as soon as a movement of the control wheel 98 is initiated, and then the switch 384 of the stepping motor 92 closes, the OR gate 34O delivering only a trigger signal. After the steering wheel. 98 has advanced the turntable one station, a suitable projection on the steering wheel opens the switch 384, whereby the operation of the stepping motor 92 is terminated by switching off the transistor 342 and the lamp 3 ^.

When the first empty syringe is transported to the filling station 110, the switch 308 sets the presence of the tube of a syringe and closes the contacts 312.

At the same time, the photocell supplies a signal to the photoresistor 3O2, which indicates the presence of an unfilled Indicates syringe. This turns off transistor 364, so that in turn an output signal is generated at the OR gate 328, which the transistor 358 off switches, which via the diode 36O, the switch 308, the Transistor 306 and transistor 302 the solenoid coil 3OO activated, which opens valve 14O. This will the filling process is initiated.

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When the drug in the syringe reaches the height of the photocell 188, the photoresistor causes 3 ^ 2, that transistor 3 ^ 4 is turned on, so that a high voltage at input 382 of the OR gate 328 occurs «At the output of the OR gate 328 occurs a liohe voltage which turns on the transistor 358, which deactivates the solenoid coil 3OO via the solenoid control circuit and closes the control valve 1 ^ 0, as previously explained.

The same signal from the output of OR gate 358 is fed to the base of transistor 330 and turns it on. The output signal of transistor 330 is fed to input 332 of AND gate 338, which switched on OR gate 34o. When a high voltage occurs at the output of OR gate 3 ^ 0, transistor 342 conducts and lamp 344 lights up. The light from the lamp 344 hits the photoresistor 346 and operates the stepper motor * 9 ² in the same way as was explained above for the manually triggered circuit. The switch 384 holds the motor until the turntable has peeled.

Upon completion of each switching cycle, a newly filled syringe is transported to the plunger insertion station 216. At this point, the control wheel 98 closes a microswitch 386, which is close to the switch 105 may be so that transistor 388 is turned on is and at the output of the OR gate 390 a high voltage occurs, which the transistor 392 in the conductive State, which in turn turns transistor 394 on

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switches. The lamp 396 in the emitter of the transistor 394 then lights up, activates the photoresistor 398 in the reciprocating engine circuit comprising the reciprocating engine 223 in. operated in the same way as stepper motor 92 is operated, will. When actuating the piston motor 223 the driver 239 closes the switch 244, which the Keeps engine running for a full cycle. At the end of the cycle, the driver opens switch 244 again and the engine cycle is complete.

When the Kolbeh cycle ends, the transistor switches 4O2 from and a previously supplied Sehaltsperrsignal von the output of the transistor 402 to the input 334 of an AND gate 338 is eliminated, so that the switching process is made possible.

If for some reason the operator does not remove the fully filled syringe and a full syringe is inadvertently switched to the filling station 110, the photocell I88 switches off and generates a high output signal at OR gate 328 which turns transistor 358 on. This creates a high voltage signal the base of transistor 368, which is across the switch 354 and the following trap circuit the transistor 38O in brings the conductive state, the low voltage input signal to the input 33 ^ of the AND gate 338 directs every further switching process of the turntable prevents an empty syringe at the filling station 110 is determined. The switch 354 turns the presence of a tube of a syringe in station 110 in the same way again switch 308 fixed. The switch 354 is designed so that the con-

109845/1185

bars 356 are closed when the syringe is in the Station 110 is detected and contacts 357 are closed if no syringe is detected in station 110.

Another feature of the control circuit that is assigned to the manual switch function of the manual switch 320, consists in that a control signal is sent to the anode of the diode 410 when this switch is closed that controls the base of transistor 412, the the transistor 39 ^ blocks and thereby a pumping effect prevented.

9845/1105

Claims (10)

Claims (1.! Dispensing device for filling a hypodermic syringe with a medicament, characterized by a frame (36,38) 1 with a pump (11.9) on the frame an outlet port (128), a. Filling station (216) on the frame around the syringe for receiving the medication to arrange a disposable container (160), a first conduit (181) connected to the container (160) is connected and releasably connected to the outlet port (128), a second line (i42), the connected to the container (160) to deliver the medicament from the container to the syringe 2. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized by a Nozzle (120) at the end of the second line, which together with the line and the container after a single use can be thrown away 3. Device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by a connection cap (164) on the container (160) and means releasably holding the cap and the container on the frame (36,38) 4. Apparatus according to claim 3t, characterized in that that the holding device has two projections (1? ** »176) on the frame which engage in recesses in the cap (i64). 109845/1185 5. Device according to claim 4, characterized in that that the container (ΐ6θ) is in the inverted position the frame is held. 6. Apparatus according to claim 3 »4 or 5» characterized in that that the first line (181) and the second line (1 ^ 2) connected to the cap (164) en s ind. 7. The device according to claim 6, characterized in that the nozzle (12O) is formed in one piece on the second line (ikZ) . 8. The device according to claim 6, characterized in that the cap (164) has connections (i69,17O), which through a seal (i6i) into the container (ΐ6θ) can be introduced. ο Device according to one of claims 3 to 8, characterized characterized in that the cap (i64) and its connections and lines in an aseptically sealed Plastic packaging are arranged. 10. Device according to one of claims 1 to 9 »characterized by a nozzle holder at the filling station, which detachably holds the nozzle (12O). 11o device according to claim 10, characterized by a detachable valve (ΐ4θ) attached to the second pipe (i42) is assigned to interrupt the flow through this line. 109845/1185 12, device according to claim 11, characterized in that that the valve (i4o) is a Klenun valve that is attached to the second _{,, λ}
Outside of the tube (142J attacks. 109845/1185