EP0125938B1 - Machine for applying a ring of material to containers for pharmaceutical products; selfbreakable ampoules with such a ring - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates firstly to a machine for carrying out on containers designed for pharmaceutical products the deposition of a ring of material, said material being pasty or liquid at the time of its deposition on said containers and being capable of being subsequently hardened, of the type comprising means for transporting said containers; at least one reservoir containing said material; and means for transferring said material between said reservoir and at least one of said containers, as well as drive means capable of subjecting the containers to rotation about their axis, at least when they are coated with said material , said transfer means comprising a rotary disc of essentially horizontal axis, the lower part of which is immersed in said reservoir, the container concerned being able to be brought into contact with the emerging part of the edge of the disc.

The containers to be treated will be in particular, but not exclusively, well-known pharmaceutical ampoules of the two-point type or of the "bottle" type.

As for the ring of material, which will be deposited at least on one of the bulb tips, and preferably on the two tips, it may be made of a possibly colored plastic, this for example for the purpose of provide coded information.

This ring, in particular made of plastic, may, according to an essential arrangement of the present invention, be deposited at the level of a pre-cracking ring formed in the glass, in the case of self-breaking bulbs, that is to say which can be opened without a file, the plastic ring allowing glass shards which could occur during the breaking of the tip of the bulb to be stuck in it and remain fixed there, which will then prevent them from injuring the user or being dragged outside with the contents of the bulb.

From document GB-A-686 263, a machine of the general type defined at the start is already known, but such a machine is not well suited to the treatment of bulbs of the type in question, in particular because the device for supplying the capsule machine is very complicated and could certainly not be used for essentially breakable objects such as pharmaceutical ampoules.

In addition, the device for holding the capsules by two mandrels acting at the end would not be suitable for driving rotating ampoules, because in addition to the risk of breakage already indicated, there would be an obvious risk of bad training, since these mandrels would act at the end on points, that is to say on a rounded surface and of very small dimensions.

We could not therefore ensure with such means a continuous and safe rotation of the bulbs on their axis.

The purpose of a machine according to the present invention is essentially to allow the development, in particular but not exclusively, of self-breaking pharmaceutical ampoules provided at their two points with colored plastic rings or not.

The object of the present invention is more particularly to obtain a fully automated production with high efficiency, and the operation of which is entirely reliable and requires only reduced monitoring.

To this end, a machine of the type defined above will be, in accordance with the present invention, essentially characterized in that the receptacles are self-breaking bulbs or the like provided with opposite ends in the form of spikes, and that when it comes to depositing said pasty or liquid material on the tips of the ampoules, said ampoule transport means comprise conveyor chains or the like carrying individual drive members of the ampoules capable of moving them in translation in a row, the ampoules being arranged perpendicular to the direction of their advancement, and at least one wheel with peripheral cells, each capable of supporting a bulb, at least at the time of coating, the peripheral speed of said cells being the same as the speed of advancement of said conveyor chains.

To ensure the deposition of a determined material simultaneously on the two tips of the bulbs, such a machine may include two sets of the aforementioned transfer means, which sets will then be arranged on either side of said row of bulbs, opposite one of the other.

It will be particularly advantageous to provide that the means for driving the rotating bulbs are arranged so that this rotation takes place in a direction such that, in the plane of tangency between the edge of the disc and the bulb tip concerned, the surface of said tip and that of the edge move in opposite directions.

To prevent the bulbs from being scratched in the cells, each of these can be associated with rolling support means.

According to a second embodiment of the invention, which could moreover be used in the case of "bottle" bulbs, that is to say having only one self-breaking tip, the machine can be characterized by that the receptacles are self-breaking bulbs or the like provided with opposite ends in the form of spikes, and that, when it comes to depositing said pasty or liquid material on the spikes of the ampoules, said means of transporting the ampoules are of the advancement type not step by step, the bulbs being arranged in a row and being arranged perpendicular to the direction of their advancement, in that means are provided which are capable of actuating said transfer means when said advancement is stopped, in that said means of transport of bulbs include two pairs of rules to notches extending parallel to each other in the direction of advancement of the bulbs, one of said pairs being movable relative to the other in a circular motion to advance the bulbs in the so-called "pilgrim's step"", and in that it further comprises lifting means capable, at least at the time of coating the tips of a bulb, to lift the latter to make it leave its support on said rules.

Said means of transport of the step-by-step advancement type may be variously provided, as soon as at a given moment all the bulbs will be stationary.

One could for example use a chain conveyor, the advance of which would be controlled by a ratchet wheel system or any other equivalent system.

The lifting means may comprise a vertically movable support, under the action of a cam or the like, this support being provided with rolling means for the bulb concerned.

This vertically movable support can be arranged in opposition to a rotary drive roller with a fixed axis on which the bulb concerned is capable of bearing when said lifting means are actuated, so as to drive it in rotation about its axis. .

In the case already mentioned in which the machine comprises two sets of transfer means, it may also be expedient to have said lifting means between the rotary discs of the two said sets.

According to this second embodiment of the invention, using means of transport ensuring the so-called "pilgrim" step, the machine may also be characterized in that said sets of transfer means are associated with tilting means able to be controlled in synchronism with said lifting means, in order to subject said transfer means to an upward movement enabling them to coat the tips of the bulbs.

The present invention also relates to ampoules, in particular self-breaking pharmaceutical ampoules, characterized in that they carry, over the pre-cracking ring, a coating of plastic material capable of retaining shards of glass during breakage, this coating overlapping said ring, on either side, and its thickness being of the order of a few tenths of a millimeter.

• -la figure 1 représente schématiquement, en élévation et avec arrachements partiels, un premier ensemble de machines conformes à la présente invention, dans lequel ensemble lesdits moyens de transport sont du type à chaînes transporteuses;
• -la figure 2 est une vue en coupe selon la ligne II-II de la figure 1;
• -la figure 3 représente schématiquement en élévation un second ensemble de deux machines également conformes à la présente invention, dans lequel ensemble lesdits moyens de transport sont du type à règles à encoches;
• -la figure 4 est une vue en coupe selon la ligne IV-IV de la figure 3;
• -la figure 5 représente une ampoule pharmaceutique autocassable à deux pointes, le revêtement de l'une de celles-ci étant représenté en coupe et l'autre en vue extérieure;
• -la figure 6 représente une ampoule autocassable de type "bouteille"; et
• -la figure 7 représente une pipette autocassable de type "Pasteur", les revêtements étant représentés sur les figures 6 et 7 en coupe.

Two embodiments of a set of machines in accordance with the present invention will now be described, with reference to the figures in the appended drawing in which:

• FIG. 1 schematically represents, in elevation and with partial cutaway, a first set of machines in accordance with the present invention, in which together said transport means are of the conveyor chain type;
• FIG 2 is a sectional view along line II-II of Figure 1;
• FIG. 3 schematically shows in elevation a second set of two machines also in accordance with the present invention, in which together said means of transport are of the notched rule type;
• FIG 4 is a sectional view along the line IV-IV of Figure 3;
• FIG. 5 represents a self-breaking pharmaceutical ampoule with two tips, the coating of one of these being shown in section and the other in external view;
• FIG. 6 represents a self-breaking bulb of the "bottle"type; and
• FIG. 7 represents a self-breaking pipette of the "Pasteur" type, the coatings being shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 in section.

The set of machines shown diagrammatically in FIGS. 1 and 2 comprises two successive machines (working in series) having a common frame, represented by the two chassis elements 1 and 2, which carry the essentials of the different means of the two machines, motor-variators, controls and others.

These two machines of the assembly, namely an input machine 1 and an output machine II, essentially similar to each other, include common means of transport, capable of making said assembly pass through 1 -11 by a line of pharmaceutical ampoules 3 with two points, moving from right to left in FIG. 1, these ampoules extending in a practically horizontal sheet, and each ampoule being oriented perpendicular to the direction of its advancement . These common means of transport comprise inter alia two parallel conveyor chains 4, of the type with articulated links, on which are mounted individual V-shaped drive members or cleats, which have been referenced in 5. Thus, the body of each bulb can be supported, near the ends, by each pair of opposite members 5. Said means of transport also comprise, for each machine I, II, a wheel 6 with peripheral cells 7, arranged in the axis of the line of bulbs, coaxially and between two rotating discs 8, with a horizontal axis.

In Figure 1, due to the cutouts, we see the wheel 6 of the machine II and a disk 8 of the machine I, but, as already indicated above, these two machines are essentially identical. Consequently, and for simplicity, the members which in the two machines are similar have been designated by the same references.

The lower part of each of the discs 8 is immersed in a reservoir 9, containing the material to be transferred, in the form of a ring, to the tips of the bulbs. The reservoirs 9 are connected to the corresponding chassis element 1 or 2 by rods 27 engaged in welded sleeves 28.

The rotary discs 8 are driven, clockwise by the arrow 10, by a conventional system with toothed wheels 11, 12 and chain 13, the reference 14 designating a tension roller. As as can be seen, this drive system is common to the two machines and It and is the same on each side, for the two disks 8 of the same machine.

As can be seen in FIG. 2, the discs 8 are wedged on shafts 15 on which are bushes 16 secured to the toothed wheels 12, the bushes being mounted in openings of the chassis elements 1, 2 by means of bearings 17.

The wheels 6 with cells are, for their part, driven in the counterclockwise direction of the arrow 20 in synchronism with the chains 4, from a common shaft 21, by a system comprising, for each machine, a toothed wheel 19 wedged on the shaft 21, a chain 22 and a toothed wheel 23 (of which only one is visible in FIG. 2), which is wedged on the corresponding wheel 6. The shaft 21 is, for its part, carried by the elements of chassis 1, 2 by means of bearings 24, and is driven by a system with toothed wheels 18, 25 and chain 26.

This being so, it can be seen that, when a bulb reaches the upper part of a cell wheel 6, it is taken up by the cell 7 which is presently facing it, and is then slightly raised in outside the drive members 5. As can be seen in FIG. 2, the two tips of the bulb can then rub on the upper part of the edges of the rotating discs 8, which edges are coated with the material, liquid or pasty, taken from the respective tanks 9.

To obtain an excellent distribution on the bulb tips, namely to obtain a peripheral ring of uniform width and thickness, it is preferable that, during this contacting, the bulbs 3 are rotated on their longitudinal axis. .

To this end, first of all, provision is made, for each of the cells 7 of the wheel 6 of each of the machines I and II, to support bearing means constituted, for example, for each of the cells, by two small rollers 39. Each bulb 3 can thus rotate in the corresponding cell 7 without risking being scratched.

For this drive of the bulbs, one can use for example the lower strands of two parallel belts 30 stretched between two pairs of grooved pulleys 31, which can be rotated again by systems with toothed wheels 32, 33, 34 and chains 35, 36, said grooved pulleys 31 of each pair of pulleys being mounted on a common shaft 37.

Preferably, the direction of rotation of the pulleys is such that, in the plane of tangency between the edge of the discs 8 and the bulb point concerned, the surface of the bulb point and that of said edge move in opposite directions . Indeed, the friction then obtained makes it possible to obtain a very homogeneous thickness of the ring of material deposited on the bulb, in particular avoiding that the thickness of the ring is too great.

This coating of the two tips of the bulb concerned being carried out, the bulb is then redeposited on the drive members 5 of the means of transport and removed from the corresponding machine 1 or II.

The machine can in particular be used to deposit on the bulb tips a first material called "primer" allowing the plastic intended to constitute the rings proper of the bulbs to be able to adhere firmly thereto, this plastic material deposited on the tips. bulb by machine It is then polymerized and hardened.

It goes without saying that we could have more than two machines in series and using the same type of means overall, in the event that it is necessary to work out on the bulb tips coating rings of more complex structure. .

In any event, in the present case of coating the tips of pharmaceutical ampoules with a plastic ring deposited at the level of the usual pre-cracking rings, the decisive advantage will be obtained, compared with currently known ampoules, that, when the user will break the tips without a file, there is no risk of injury, glass shards can then occur remaining stuck in the plastic of the ring. For the same reason, it is certain to avoid that glass fragments could be entrained with the liquid contained in the bulb.

It should also be noted that one of the two materials used, namely that contained in the tanks 9 of the machine 1 or that contained in the tanks 9 of the machine II, may possibly be colored according to a determined code, providing by example information on the contents of the bulb.

The machines III and IV of the set of machines shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, to show a possible alternative embodiment, include, as common chassis elements, those which are referenced at 41 and 42 and which have, in the whole, the same role as elements 1 and 2 of the machines previously described 1 and I1.

This set of machines of FIGS. 3 and 4 differs from that of FIGS. 1 and 2 first of all by the implementation of different means of transport for the line of bulbs, which have been referenced here in 43. We use, in fact, in this embodiment, two pairs of notched rules 44 and 45 all extending in the direction of advancement of the bulbs, the two rules 44 being movable in two parallel vertical planes, relative to the two rules 45, which are fixed.

As can be seen in the sectional view of FIG. 4, the fixed rules 45 are arranged outside the mobile rules 44, but the arrangement could of course be reversed. This being the case, the two rules 44 are subjected, by appropriate means (not shown), to a circular movement at the end of the ascending part from which the bulbs 43 carried in their notches are transferred into the notches of the fixed rules 45, and this each time a notch further forward, namely in the direction of the arrow 46, all the bulbs carried by the rules 44 thus progressing en bloc, this step-by-step advancement movement being known as the "pilgrim's step".

The advancement movement of the bulbs 43 thus being discontinuous, the downtime is used to subject the bulb to be coated to a lifting movement at the end of which, on the one hand, it is rotated around its axis, and on the other hand the upper parts of the edges of coating discs 47 are brought into contact with the tips of the bulb concerned.

To this end, each machine III, IV firstly comprises lifting means capable of lifting the bulb concerned to make it leave its support on the rules 44-45. These lifting means comprise for example a support 48 movable vertically under the action of a cam 49 acting on the support via a roller 70, this cam being of course synchronized in each of the machines III and IV with the kinematics of the mobile rules 44. At its upper part, the vertically mobile support 48 includes rolling means for said bulb concerned 43, these means being constituted for example by small rollers 50 similar to the small rollers 29 of the embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2.

Thanks to these means, the bulb concerned 43 can thus be lifted while being able to pivot around its axis, its rotational movement being obtained by a pair of rollers, for example with a rubber tire, references at 51 wedged on a shaft common 52 driven in rotation by a toothed wheel 53. The toothed wheel 53 of each machine is driven in rotation by a chain 54, which is kinematically connected to a common toothed pinion 55 via a wheel system toothed 56 and chain 57.

Given this lifting movement of the coating bulb 43, this bulb being shown in such a position (43 ') at the machine III, while it is in the low position at the machine IV, it it is appropriate to produce a synchronized lifting movement of the aforementioned pairs of coating discs 47, the lifting movements of the pair of discs 47 of a machine, however, not necessarily being synchronized with the lifting movements of the pair of discs coating 47 of the other machine. The main thing is, in any case, that the lifting of the two coating discs 47 of the same machine is carried out in synchronization with the lifting movement of the corresponding mobile support 48.

To this end, the two pairs of coating discs 47, as well as their respective reservoirs 58, are mounted at one end of tilting arms 59 pivotally mounted on fixed axes 60, the other end of these arms being subjected alternately to up and down movements via an angled branch 61 carrying at its end a roller 62 constantly supported on a cam 63. This constant support of the rollers 62 on the respective cams 63 is obtained by the pulling action of a spring 64. Each cam 63 is synchronized with the cam 49 of the same machine, so, of course, that the lifting of the assembly 47-58 takes place exactly at the same time as the lifting of the bulb via the vertically movable support 48 ..

This will give, in each machine III and IV, the simultaneous coating of the two tips of the bulb concerned 43, when the latter is in its raised position 43 ', at the same time as it is rotated by the means cited above 51-57.

In the embodiment of Figures 3 and 4, the movable supports 48 move vertically in opposition, but could of course ensure that they move on the contrary exactly in phase.

The motor and transmission means of the various movements may be quite similar to those of the assembly described with reference to Figures 1 and 2, and include in particular one or more gearmotors and transmissions with cogwheels and chain, the shafts of these different wheels being supported, by means of suitable bearings, between the two chassis elements 41 and 42. These arrangements being completely similar to those described with reference to FIG. 2, they will not be described in more detail here .

The two coating discs 47 are, in each machine III or IV, driven in rotation, for example in the clockwise direction represented by the arrows 65, by a system with toothed wheels 66, 67, 68 and chains 69, 69 '.

As for the various cams 63 and 49, each is fixed on the same axis as a toothed wheel, and these wheels are driven in rotation by means of a chain 71 engaged with a toothed drive wheel 73, which is mounted on the same shaft as the toothed wheel 66. The toothed wheels associated with the cams 49 have been referenced at 74, and those which are associated with the cams 63 have been referenced at 75.

Of course, a set of machines III-IV may make it possible overall to obtain the same type of advantages as a set of machines such as that described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, namely in particular to automatically allow coating of pharmaceutical ampoule tips by a suitable plastic material capable of avoiding the drawbacks mentioned above of conventional self-breaking ampoules, and this with prior installation of a finishing product promoting the adhesion of the plastic material.

In all cases, adjusting the speed of the coating discs (8 or 47) will allow you to conveniently adjust the thickness of the products deposited on the tips of bulbs or other objects.

The plastic used can polymerize either directly at room temperature surrounding air, either with heat support using a gas burner or an electrical resistance.

In FIGS. 5 to 7, the bulbs or the like are referenced at 3, 3 ′ and 3 ", and at 2a, b and c their respective pre-cracking rings. It can be any conventional pre-cutting ring made either by traced with a diamond or metal disc and possibly of the so-called "color break" type (colored pre-cracking ring).

According to the invention, each of these pre-cracking rings is covered by a coating of plastic material, produced by means of one or the other of the sets of machines which have just been described, and which has been referenced respectively in 3a, b and c.

• -toutes les gammes de résines;
• -toute la gamme des silicones;
• -toute la gamme des caoutchoucs et com- pounds;
• -toute la gamme des élastomères;
• -toute la gamme des plastiques, type phénoplastes, polyacétates, polyamides, polycarbo- nates, polychlorures, polyesters, polyéthylènes, polyimides, polymercaptan, polyoléfines, poly- phénylènes, polypropylènes, polysulfones, poly- téréphtalates, polyuréthanes, polytétrafluoréthy- lènes;
• toute la gamme des époxydes;
• -tout la gamme des vinyliques.

As the plastic material suitable for obtaining the qualities required for this coating, different types of plastic can be used, and in particular the following:

• -all ranges of resins;
• - the whole range of silicones;
• - the whole range of rubbers and com- pounds;
• - the whole range of elastomers;
• - the whole range of plastics, such as phenoplasts, polyacetates, polyamides, polycarbonates, polychlorides, polyesters, polyethylenes, polyimides, polymercaptan, polyolefins, polyphenylenes, polypropylenes, polysulfones, polyterephthalates, polyurethanes, polytetrafluorethenes;
• the whole range of epoxides;
• - the whole range of vinyls.

As indicated above, and depending on the case, the materials used may polymerize either directly at room temperature, or with the addition of heat.

As can be clearly seen in FIGS. 5 to 7, the coatings 3a, b and c overlap the respective pre-cracking rings, that is to say that they extend slightly on either side of these rings; their thickness will be a few tenths of a millimeter.

The plastic coatings at the pre-cracking rings will prevent the user from being injured by opening the bulb or the like, because the glass fragments that may occur will remain pricked in these coatings. For the same reason, of course, the liquid contained in the bulb will not cause the shards of glass during its flow.

In addition, the plastic coatings will better protect the bulbs or the like from the risk of breakage during the various manipulations to which they are subjected, in particular during their packaging in the laboratory.

Claims (10)

1. An apparatus for depositing on receptacles for pharmaceutical products a ring of material which is pasty or liquid at the time of its deposition on the receptacles (3) and can to be hardened subsequently, the apparatus being of the kind comprising; means (4, 5) for conveying receptacles (3); at least one tank (9) containing the material; and means (8) for transferring the material between the tank (9) and at least one of the receptacles (3), and drive means (30, 31) for rotating the receptacles (3) around their axis at least while they are being coated by the material, the transfer means comprising a rotating disc (8) whose spindle (15) is substantially horizontal, the bottom part of the disc dipping into the tank (9), the particular receptacle (3) concerned being adapted to be moved into contact with that part of the disc edge which is emerging from the tank (9), characterised in that the receptacles are snap-off ampoules (3) or the like having pointed opposite ends and that to deposit the pasty or liquid material on the pointed ends of the ampoules the conveying means (3) comprise: conveying chains or the like (4) carrying elements (5) adapted to displace the ampoules individually in a row, the ampoules being arranged perpendicularly to the direction of their advance; and at least one wheel (6) formed with peripheral depressions (7) each adapted to support an ampoule at least during the coating thereof, the peripheral speed of the depressions being the same as the speed of advance of the conveying chains.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1, characterised in that each depression (7) is associated with rolling support means (29).

3. An apparatus according to claim 1 of the kind comprising, for depositing a particular substance simultaneously on the two pointed ends of the ampoules (3), two sets of transfer means (8) disposed on either side of the row of ampoules and opposite one another, characterised in that the wheel (6) formed with depressions (7) is disposed substantially coaxially between the rotating discs (8) of the two sets of transfer means.

4. An apparatus according to any of the previous claims, characterised in that the drive means (30, 31 ) are adapted to rotate the ampoules (3) in a direction such that in the tangential plane between the edge of the disc (8) and the printed end or tip of the particular ampoule concerned, the surface of the tip and the surface of the edge move in opposite directions.

5. An apparatus for depositing on receptacles for pharmaceutical products a ring of material which is pasty or liquid at the time of its deposition on the receptacles (43) and can be hardened subsequently, the apparatus being of the kind comprising; means (44, 45) for conveying the receptacles (43); at least one tank (58) containing the material; and means (47) for transferring the material between the tank (58) and at least one of the receptacles (43); and drive means (51) for rotating the receptacles (43) around their axis at least while they are being coated by the material, the transfer means comprising a rotating disc (47) whose spindle (60) is substantially horizontal, the bottom part of the disc dipping into the tank (58), the particular receptacle (43) concerned being adapted to be broug bt into contact with that part of the edge of the disc which is emerging from the tank, characterised in that the receptacles are snap-off ampoules (3) or the like having opposite pointed ends and, for depositing the pasty or liquid matter on the tips of the ampoules (3), the means (44, 45) for conveying the same are of the stepwise advancing kind, the ampoules being arranged in a row perpendicularly to their direction of advance; means (48) are provided for actuating the transfer means (44, 45) upon cessation of such advance; the transfer means comprise two pairs of slotted bars (44, 45) which extend parallel to one another in the direction of ampoule advance, one of the pairs (44) being movable relatively to the other in a circular movement to advance the ampoules (43) in a piligrim step motion; and the apparatus also comprises lifting means (48) adapted, at least while the tips of an ampoule are being coated, to raise the ampoule off the bars.

6. An apparatus according to claim 5, characterised in that the lifting means comprise a support (48) movable vertically by a cam or the like (49) and having rolling means (50) for the associated ampoule.

7. An apparatus according to claim 6, characterised in that the support (48) can be moved against a rotating drive roller (51) whose axis is stationary and on which the particular ampoule concerned can bear when the lifting means (48) are operated so as to rotate it around its axis.

8. An apparatus according to any of claims 5-7 of the kind comprising, for depositing a particular substance simultaneously on both tips of the ampoules, two sets of transfer means (47) disposed on either side of the row of ampoules and opposite one another, characterised in that the lifting means (48) are arranged between the rotating discs (47) of the two sets of transfer means.

9. An apparatus according to any of claims 5-8, characterised in that the sets (47) of transfer means are associated with tilting means (59-63) actuatable synchronously with the lifting means (48) to impart to the transfer means (47) a rising movement such that the ampoule tips are coated.

10. A snap-off ampoule or the like-i.e., an ampoule having at at least one end with a frangible ring zone (2a, 2b, 2c) and breakable without a file just by bending in such zone, characterised in that the ampoule has above the ring zone (2a, 2b, 2c) a plastics covering (3a, 3b, 3c) adapted to retain glass splinters after breakage, the covering straddling the ring and having a thickness of the order of a few tenths of millimetre.

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