DE2719684A1 - METHOD AND DEVICE FOR FILLING CLOSED VIALS MADE OF GLASS - Google Patents

Description

Autopack Limited, PcO.Box 2, Malvern, Worcestershire WR14-1DB _t

Englandc

Method and device for filling closed ampoules made of glass.

The invention relates to a method and a device for filling sealed, glass-made ampoules with a pharmaceutical preparation. Such ampoules are generally produced on known devices, one on each ampoule manufacture so-called spear, the end of which is closed so that a hermetically sealed, empty ampoule is created «,

However, it is then necessary to open the ampoule when it is to be filled with the pharmaceutical preparation. It is important that the ampoules always remain clean and sterile in order to avoid contamination of the pharmaceutical preparation _{or the like}

The invention is based on the object of an improved method to fill a closed ampoule to indicate ",

With this aspect in mind, the invention consists in a method of filling sealed vials containing air or other gas and having a closed spear, and the invention is characterized in that the vial is first heated to the pressure of the air or other to increase the gas in the ampoule, that then a flame is directed to the spear to mount therein a small hole, after which the standing under D _r piece air or gas escapes through the small hole and thereby increasing the hole filling a pharmaceutical preparation into the ampoule, after which the ampoule is then closed again.

Another object on which the invention is based is «

709846 / 10U

an improved apparatus for filling a sealed ampoule to specify,

According to this object, the solution relates to a device for filling a sealed ampoule, which contains air or another gas and has a sealed spear, and the Device is characterized in that a first burner fed with a fluid fuel is provided, which the Spear heated to increase the pressure of air or other gas, and that a further burner fed with a fluid fuel is provided to melt part of the spear and thereby creating a small hole in it.

The first burner fed with a fluid fuel has the task of putting the air or the other gas under pressure before the small opening in the spear is formed so that after formation the pressurized air or gas escape from the hole, which leads to an enlargement of the hole «

In order to transport the ampoules one after the other through the device, a conveyor can be provided goes out. Preferably, however, the first and further burners are at the same or close to the same longitudinal position placed on the conveyor, and the proximity and / or size of the flames generated by the burners are such that the air or the gas in the ampoule spear is heated sufficiently, before the small hole is created, to have the necessary pressure available to enlarge this hole. In addition, means are provided for to rotate each ampoule while exposed to the flames of the burners. The device can also have a further Burners or burners are provided in order to close each ampoule again after the filling process «,

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The invention will be described below with reference to the drawings described in detail.

Show it:

1 is an end view of an embodiment of an apparatus which, in consideration of one aspect of the invention is made;

FIG. 2 shows a sectional illustration corresponding to the section line 2-2 of FIG. 1;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view corresponding to the cutting line 3 - 3 in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view according to the section line 4 - 4 in Figure 2 _O ·.

In the drawings, a device is shown to produce closed, to fill glass ampoules with a pharmaceutical preparation. The ampoules are first placed in a machine known per se molded in a sterile environment. This means that there is a so-called spear in each ampoule, and the ampoules become stored in a suitable place until they are needed for filling. ”In addition, each molded ampoule contains a certain amount of air or another gas, and such ampoules are in dash-dotted lines Lines drawn and given the reference number 10 in the drawings. The spear of each ampoule is identified by the reference numeral 10a Mistake.

The device is provided with a container 11, which the task has to feed the sealed, empty ampoules 10 sequentially to a conveyor, generally indicated by the reference numeral 12, which feeds the ampoules sequentially in a series of Move steps through the device. In general, the Ampoules are transported on in pairs, but they can also be transported individually. However, the following describes how a

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Pair of ampoules a is ported to the other with the conveyor further trans, from left to right, as is shown in Figures 2 and 3. _o The vials then pass first to a first station 13 which is provided with a first set of burners 14 which in this case consists of a pair of burners to which a fluid fuel, for example a combustible gas, is fed. The flames of these first burners 14 are provided in order to act on the exterior of the spears 10a of said pair of burners and thereby to heat these spears. Means are also provided to set the pair of ampoules in rotation at this first station 13, these means consisting of wheels 15 which are mounted on spindles 16 which at their lower ends have gears 17 which are driven by a worm 18 This kind of heating of the spears of the ampoules has the effect that the air or the gas in the ampoules is heated , so that this air or the gas is put under a pressure which exceeds atmospheric pressure

At said first station 13 there is another set of burners 19 'which consists of two further burners , the flames of which are directed so that they act on the ends of the spears 10a of the ampoules. In addition, the distances and / or the sizes of the flames of the first burner 14 on the one hand and the other burner 19 on the other hand are chosen so that the pressure of the gas or air in the Spee ren 10a increases to the desired value above atmospheric pressure before 19 may melt the further burner the ends of the spears on soft and, therein to form small holes "Once such holes have been created, causing the pressure of the gas or air in the spears that the holes are enlarged by molten or plastic Forces material around the holes created by the outer set of burners so that no material can fall into the interior of the ampoules.

After the holes have been made in the ends of the spears and enlarged as described , the ampoule pair, which is now with the loading

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Zugszahl 20 is provided, transported from the first station 13 by means of the conveyor to a second station 21, while a the second pair of ampoules reaches the first station 13. In the second At the 1st station, the ampoules 20 are opened with the aid of hollow needles 22 fills, which are inserted into the now opened spears, and when the desired amount of the pharmaceutical preparation through the If the needles mentioned have been introduced, they are withdrawn again before the ampoules are transported to a third station 23 in which they are rotated again with the aid of wheels 24 are mounted on spindles 25, which also be driven by means of the shaft 18, which is done by gears 26, at the same time further flames are directed at the ampoules are from more burners and the spears will be stretched in a manner known per se with the aid of grippers 28, which results in the spears being broken off while at the same time the ampoules are closed again «. The broken Gl? is thrown into a container 29 and the filled and resealed ampoules are then provided with the reference number 30.

The filling process could of course also take place in a sterile environment but the present invention enables the ampoules to be filled in a particularly convenient and rapid manner while preheating the ampoules before making the small holes ensures that no glass or other contaminants as a result of the opening process before the filling needles are inserted into the ampoule «.

Expectations

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Claims (1)

1./Method of pulling a sealed ampoule containing air or contains another gas and has a closed spear, characterized in that the ampoule (10) is initially heated is to increase the pressure of the air or other gas in the ampoule (10) that then a flame against the spear (10a) is directed to create a small hole therein, after which the pressurized air or gas passes through it small opening and thereby enlarge the hole to allow a pharmaceutical preparation to be filled into the ampoule (10) to facilitate, after which the filled ampoule (10) is closed again. 2. Device for filling a sealed ampoule containing air or another gas and has a closed spear, characterized in that a first with a fluid Fuel fed burner (14) is provided to the spear (10a) to heat and thereby increase the pressure of the air or the other gas, and that another, with a fluid fuel fed burner (19) is provided to melt part of the spear (10a) and thereby close a small hole therein produce. 3. Apparatus according to claim 2, characterized in that a Conveyor (12) is provided to transport the ampoules (10) successively through the device. 4. Apparatus according to claim 3, characterized in that the first and further burners (14, 19) along the conveyor (12) are arranged at the same or almost the same longitudinal position along the conveyor (12), the distances and / or sizes of the flames generated by the burners (14, 19) are designed so that 709846/1014 ORlGiNAb INSPECTED " that the air or gas in the spear (10a) of the ampoule is sufficiently heated before the small hole is formed in the spear (10a) is used to generate the necessary pressure to enlarge the hole » Device according to claim 3 »characterized in that the the first burner (14) is arranged upstream of the further burner in the direction of movement of the conveyor (12) ", 6. Device according to any one of claims 2 to 5 »characterized in that that means (15) are provided for the rotation of each ampoule (10) while it is facing the flames of the burners (14, 19) are exposed. 7. Device according to any one of claims 2 to 6, characterized in that that a further burner or further burners (27) are provided in order to remove each ampoule (10) after the Püllvor- to close the corridor again. 8 · Method of filling a sealed ampoule, which air or contains another gas and has a closed spear, as described above. 709046/1 0 1 A