EP2599721B1 - Packaging machine for sterile packing and corresponding method - Google Patents

Description

I. Field of application

The invention relates to a packaging machine for germ-free packaging.

II. Technical background

Such packaging machines for a germ-free packaging in Erstverpackungen product must ensure that both the Erstverpackung - for example, a syringe body, a bottle or a tube - as well as the product to be introduced into it - usually a liquid - either germ-free or prepared before packaging a germ-free Reach state, and bottled in this and germ-proof. Such a machine is from the WO 2004/076288 known.

For the purposes of the present application, the term "germ-free" is understood to mean the degree of sterility desired by the respective user, and the term "sterilizing" is understood to mean the process for achieving this level of sterility.

Accordingly, until now, the first packaging, which is generally not germ-free, has been brought into a sterilization station after introduction into the packaging machine and, if appropriate, insertion into a transport container or an outer packaging, and subsequently sterilized within the sterile room of the sterilization station Primary packaging filled and this closed. Since this is usually done on separate successively arranged workstations, the sterile room that surrounds all these stations, relatively large dimensions, and above all it is penetrated by a large number of poorly accessible and complicated to be cleaned components, such as conveyors, ducts in the form of cables and hoses, joints, passports etc.

Since a sterile room never remains permanently sterile, it must be repeatedly cleaned and re-sterilized at intervals.

The effort for this increases exponentially depending on how big the room is and how complicated the existing components are to be cleaned.

A typical case of a production process therefore looks like that the packaging machine is in continuous use and then a cleaning is necessary, which takes at least a full shift.

From the WO 2009/153014 A1 For example, there is known a transport container for ampoules to be filled with medicaments, the open top side of which is tightly sealable with a film that is impermeable to germs, but permeable to a sterilizing gas, so that the transport container thus sealed is sterilized by introducing it into an atmosphere of this gas can.

III. Presentation of the invention a) Technical task

It is therefore the object of the present invention to propose a packaging machine and a method for its operation, in which the space to be kept sterile is as small as possible and as easy to clean.

b) Solution of the task

This object is solved by the features of claims 1 and 8. Advantageous embodiments will be apparent from the dependent claims.

What is new about the procedure according to the invention is that preferably only the interior of the transport containers, at best even the smallest possible space around the transport containers, is kept sterile from the first sterilization until the completion of the filling of the filled primary packaging.

Especially if only the interior of the transport container is kept sterile inside the transport container but after sterilization several steps, such as filling and closing must be performed, which usually take place at separate workstations, the transport container must be germ-tight closed and for performing these steps can be reopened for a limited period of time in a germ-proof environment produced there.

This can also be realized in a particularly simple manner by arranging the transport containers on carriages which can be moved independently of one another, for example along one or more guideways, and are not strictly linked to one another, since the transport containers can be shorter depending on the type of instantaneous processing step or longer, fast, slow, or not moving at all. Especially the sterilization may require more time than the cycle time of the other processing steps. In this case, the transport containers can be supplied to a plurality of sequential or parallel sterilizing stations, where they are then sterilized for more than one cycle time.

Buffering of the arriving transport containers before and / or behind the sterilization stations is also possible for this purpose.

The sterilization of the interior of the transport container - which are generally formed trough-shaped with closable top - is preferably carried out by tightly connecting to a sterilizer, for example a patch from above on the trough-shaped transport container sterilization hood.

The germ-proof closure, for example a cover, of the transport container must be designed so that it can be opened after the tight connection of the sterilization device, for example the sterilization hood, and can also be closed again.

The sterility of the interior of the closed transport container can be facilitated by the interior of the transport container is kept under pressure.

• Auch dabei muss der sterilisierte und verschlossene Transportbehälter zunächst keimdicht an das entsprechende steril gehaltene Werkzeug angeschlossen werden, und danach erst die Abdeckung des Transportbehälters geöffnet werden.
• Auch zu diesem Zweck kann ein entsprechendes Werkzeug, zum Beispiel Füllwerkzeug, in einer Haube angeordnet sein, nach dem dichten Aufsetzen auf den noch geschlossenen, im Inneren sterilen, Transportbehälter zunächst das Äußere der Abdeckung und damit das Innere der Haube sterilisiert werden, sodass danach die Abdeckung im Inneren geöffnet und die Erstverpackungen gefüllt werden können und zuletzt die Abdeckung des Transportbehälters wieder geschlossen wird, bevor die Haube des Füllwerkzeuges abhebt.

The same applies to the other sterile steps to be performed, such as filling or closing the filled primary packaging:

• Again, the sterilized and sealed transport container must first be connected germ-tight to the appropriate sterile held tool, and then only the cover of the transport container can be opened.
• Also for this purpose, a corresponding tool, for example, filling tool, be arranged in a hood, after the dense placement on the still closed, sterile inside, transport container first the exterior of the cover and thus the interior of the hood are sterilized, so that afterwards the Opened cover inside and the Erstverpackungen can be filled and finally the cover of the transport container is closed again before the hood of the filling tool lifts.

In the same way, it is also possible to proceed when closing in the closing station. Preferably, however, the filling and sealing is carried out in the same work station, preferably by the same tool.

If one of the tools which is to be sterile, for example the filling tool or the closing tool, is to be sterilized during the operation of the machine, these tools can be present redundantly, so that one is sterilized while the other is in use.

If the room kept sterile is to be not only the interior of the transport container, but a space containing the entire transport container, this space will usually not only have to contain the transport container, but also the carriage carrying it. If this carriage is movable along a guideway and / or a track body, this guideway and this track body.

Nevertheless, there is an advantage if then such a sterile-held space only in each case the short range of one or a few successive workstations comprises, as this sterile space to be kept is achieved, which is much smaller and contains much fewer components, as in the previously known aseptic filling plants.

In this case, on the one hand at the beginning and end, ie inlet and outlet, of the sterile space for the transport containers each have a lock whose contents can be sterilized to prevent the ingress of germs through the lock in the sterile room. In this case, the carriage with the transport container preferably passes over at the transition from the non-sterile to the sterile area and vice versa in each case a gap in the guideway and in particular in the guideway bearing track body, so arranged in the gap of the guideway or the track body a bulkhead of the sterile room can be, which can be completely closed until the carriage is retracted with the transport container across the gap in the example lock chamber from the non-sterile space.

If the first packages are plastic tubes made of a heat-sealable material or at least a heat-sealable coating, the plastic tubes are usually filled upside down, ie the closure, filled with the rear end open and then the rear end sealed. According to the invention, the sealing of the rear, upwardly projecting end of the filled plastic tubes by means of ultrasound, wherein in particular the anvil pressing on the sonotrode not only contains a sealing edge, but also a punching edge, which simultaneously trimmed the ultrasonically sealed seam.

The problematic, resulting waste is blown away by horizontally flowing compressed air to the side in a collecting container after the anvil and sonotrode have moved upwards away.

The packaging machine according to the invention for carrying out this procedure thus comprises a transport device for linking the workstations of this packaging machine with movable carriages carrying, for example, a transport container into which the open and to be filled primary packs are inserted in a defined position, and at least one sterilization station for sterilization the transport container, in particular together with the empty primary packaging inserted therein.

In addition, the tools of the other stations, which are to work sterile on the primary packaging, in particular the filling tool and the closing tool, must be equipped with a sterilization device which can be connected tightly to the transport containers, so that the filling and sealing can take place under sterile conditions ,

The transport container has a germ-tight closing device, in particular on its upper side, which is designed in particular so that it in the open state, the placement of the sterilizer not hindered and in particular can be opened and closed when attached sterilizer.

This can be a fold-up or even into the transport container hineinbewegbarer, for example, segmented, lid, or even a completely removable lid.

In order to reduce the possibility of contamination, the moving components of the transport container, in particular its cover, can be moved without contact from the outside, ie from the carriage or the tool acting on the transport container, for example by means of magnetic force.

In order to maintain the sterility in the interior of the transport container as safe and long as possible, the interior of the transport container can be kept under an overpressure, possibly even under a negative pressure.

Above all, an overpressure can be generated either by closing the transport container by means of a movable into the transport container in dense membrane, or by the transport container is acted upon by the carriage with pressure, but preferably not by pumped and purified ambient air, but by pumping a germ-free Inertgases, which is stored in a pressure vessel as an overpressure source in the carriage.

Both the sterilization station and the sterile working tools preferably have a hood which can be placed on the transport containers in a manner that is shaped and dimensioned in cooperation with the transport container such that the closing device of the transport container only after the hood has been sealed and sterilizes the outside of this closing device the closure device is opened and the interior of the transport container for processing by the tool - for example, the filling tool or closing tool - is accessible.

In order to keep the sterilization effort low, the filling tool additionally contains a closing tool for the filled primary packaging, so that both working steps can be carried out together in one and the same working position and in the same sterilized room.

If not only the interior of the transport container is kept germ-free, but at the corresponding workstations, the space around the entire transport container around, has the guideways having web body of the transport device on a gap at the transition between the non-sterile and the sterile space in which a is tightly closable sterile bulkhead, which is only opened to pass a carriage with a transport container.

Although the space around the transport container around is kept sterile, a sterilizable lock is usually necessary at the inlet and outlet in the sterile room.

c) embodiments

Fig. 1a, b, c:

den Transportbehälter in unterschiedlichen Versionen,

Fig. 2:

eine Abfüllstraße von oben in einer ersten Version,

Fig. 3:

eine Abfüllstraße in der Seitenansicht in einer zweiten Version, und

Fig. 4:

die Detaildarstellung einer Sterilschleuse.

Embodiments according to the invention are described in more detail below by way of example. Show it:

Fig. 1 a, b, c:

the transport container in different versions,

Fig. 2 :

a bottling line from above in a first version,

3:

a bottling line in the side view in a second version, and

4 :

the detailed representation of a sterile lock.

The Figure 1c shows first the trough-shaped transport container 20 in a sectional view, which has four circumferential, drawn up to about the same height side walls and in which already to be filled primary packaging, here in the form of bottles 1, are used.

Thus, the bottles 1 can be used at predetermined positions in the transport container 20 , a grid grid 27 is inserted into these - preferably form-fitting - which has custom-fit openings for inserting the bottle 1 . In defined positions next to the bottles 1 , the closure caps 22 may also already be stored for later closing of the bottles 1 . The open top of the transport container 20 can be sealed germ-tight by means of a one-piece or multi-part, such as hinged to the transport container 20 , container lid 23 .

The transport container 20 sit - usually positioned positively - on a respective carriage 9 a transport device 8 , which can be moved along the guide rail 18 a of a sheet body 18 through the machine.

The FIGS. 1a and b show - in already inserted bottles 1 in the transport container 20 - each also germ-tight placed on the transport container 20 hood 13, which may be differently equipped inside, but serves in both cases the purpose that the interior of the hood 13 and Transport container 20 encompassed interior may be a sterile room 19 , at least when the connection between the two subspaces of hood 13 and transport container 20 is opened, such as in FIG. 1a shown in the left half and in the hood 13 a sterilizer is present.

For both the hood 13 is at its open bottom by means of a one-piece or multi-part, preferably hinged to the hood 13 hood cover 24 germ-tight closed and the transport container 20 by means of the mentioned container lid 23rd

The two covers 23, 24 are positioned so in the open state that you do not hinder the processing of the standing in the transport container 20 bottles 1, so for example, their filling or closing.

In FIG. 1 a is arranged inside the hood 13, a filling head 14 , each with a filler neck over each of the bottles 1, which are in the filling position, and which can be lowered down to the bottles 1 .

Inside the hood 13 further two sterilizing devices 25 are arranged, which are able to sterilize the interior of the hood 13 and optionally the connected transport container 20 and thus to make a sterile space 19 .

• Der mit leeren, unsterilen Flaschen 1 bestückte Transportbehälter 20 fährt in die in Figur 1a dargestellte Füllposition und spätestens dort wird der Behälter-Deckel 23 geöffnet, wenn er nicht schon offen war,
• die Haube 13 wird auf den Transportbehälter 20 abgesenkt und keimdicht mit ihm verbunden,
• sofern die Haube 13 einen Haubendeckel 24 besitzt, wird dieser spätestens nun geöffnet,
• die Sterilisiervorrichtung 25 der Haube 13 wird in Gang gesetzt und der gemeinsame Innenraum 19 von Haube 13 und Transportbehälter 20 sterilisiert, und damit auch die leeren, offenen Flaschen 1 sterilisiert,
• der Füllkopf 14 wird vorzugsweise auf die Flaschen 1 abgesenkt und die Flaschen 1 gefüllt.

In this embodiment of the hood 13 , it is thus possible to proceed as follows:

• The equipped with empty, unsterile bottles 1 transport container 20 moves into the in FIG. 1a shown filling position and at the latest there, the container lid 23 is opened, if it was not already open,
• the hood 13 is lowered onto the transport container 20 and connected germ-tightly with him,
• if the hood 13 has a hood cover 24 , this is opened at the latest now,
• the sterilizing device 25 of the hood 13 is set in motion and the common interior 19 of the hood 13 and transport container 20 is sterilized, and thus the empty, open bottles 1 are sterilized,
• the filling head 14 is preferably lowered onto the bottles 1 and the bottles 1 are filled.

Now, the container lid 23 of the transport container 20 is closed - possibly after closing the bottles 1 by screwing the caps 22 also in this state - before the hood 13 is lifted so that the transport container 20 thereafter maintaining the sterility in its interior in the capping 6 or a further necessary work station continues, as shown in Fig. 1e.

Thus, in the sterilized and sealed interior of the transport container 20, an overpressure can be generated, which further complicates the ingress of germs, without air must be sterilized and introduced into the interior of the transport container 20 , on the inside of the transport container 20 a tightly connected to this ÜberdruckMembran 26 be arranged, which is applied after closing the lid 23 from the outside with pressure, that is inflated, and in this way in the interior of the closed transport container 20 is generated over a period of time overpressure.

During the time of waiting for the next transport container 20 , the hood cover 24 of the hood 13 can be closed, if it is present at all, and in this state another sterilization of the interior of the hood 13 are performed.

In FIG. 1b However, if the hood 13 has no own hood lid, so after sterilization from the transport container 20 is not sterilized separately, but after the germ-tight placement of the hood 13 is sterilized by means of the sterilization devices 25 , either before opening the container lid 23 or thereafter, or both.

In contrast to FIG. 1a consists of the container lid 23 in FIG. 1b not from two articulated parts, but from two individual, liftable from the transport container 20 container lids 23, the For example, by means of a arranged in the hood 13 mechanism and lifted, and can be spent in an open position within the hood 13 .

The driving force for opening the container lid 23 and / or the hood cover 24 is preferably realized from outside the hood 13 and / or the transport container 20 without mechanical passage through the walls, for example by means of electromechanical forces or magnetic forces.

• In Figur 3 besteht die Abfüllanlage aus in Durchlaufrichtung 10 separat hintereinander angeordneten Maschinenstationen, nämlich
  • einer Zufuhrstation 2 für die Flaschen 1 und gegebenenfalls auch die Verschlusskappen 22,
  • einer Gruppierstation 3 zum richtigen Positionieren der Flaschen 1 in den Transportbehältern 20, die ihrerseits wieder in definierter Position auf den Schlitten 9 ruhen,
  • einer Sterilisierstation 4 zum Sterilisieren unter anderem der Flaschen 1 in den Transportbehältern 20,
  • einer Füllstation 5 zum Füllen der Flaschen 1,
  • einer Verschließstation 6 zum Verschließen, in diesem Fall dem Aufschrauben der Kappen 22 auf die gefüllten Flaschen 1 und
  • einer Austragstation 7 zum Entfernen der gefüllten und verschlossenen Flaschen 1 aus dem Transportbehälter 20, z. B. in eine Umverpackung 28.

The Figures 2 and 3 Now show two possible solutions of a filling plant using this germ-tight sealable transport container 20:

• In FIG. 3 If the bottling plant consists of in the direction of passage 10 separately behind each other arranged machine stations, namely
  • a supply station 2 for the bottles 1 and possibly also the closure caps 22,
  • a grouping station 3 for correctly positioning the bottles 1 in the transport containers 20, which in turn rest in a defined position on the carriage 9 ,
  • a sterilizing station 4 for sterilizing inter alia the bottles 1 in the transport containers 20,
  • a filling station 5 for filling the bottles 1,
  • a closing station 6 for closing, in this case screwing the caps 22 on the filled bottles 1 and
  • a discharge station 7 for removing the filled and sealed bottles 1 from the transport container 20, z. B. in an outer packaging 28th

Here, below the grouping station 3 up to the discharge station 7, a transport device 8, which has a running in the transport direction 10 sheet body 18 , on its upper and lower guide rails 18a are present for the carriage 9 running there, each of which can carry a transport container 20 in a defined position.

The first and last part of this web body 18, in this case the part under the grouping station 3 and under the discharge station 7 , are about their longitudinal direction, the transport direction 10, pivotable by 180 ° , whereby the carriage 9 located above at the bottom the web body 18 can be pivoted and from there along the lower guide track 18b can be moved back to the beginning of the transport device 8 , wherein it can be roughly cleaned in the open state at a cleaning station 12 from below of liquid and solid residues.

The carriage 9 are individually and independently along the transport device movable with separate speed, independent holding times, also forward and backward movable, controlled by the control of the entire system.

Here, in the direction of passage 10 at the beginning of the filling line as a feeding station 2, the bottles 1 upright, but mostly disordered, on a z. B. conveyor belt 30 is supplied to the gripping area of a so-called picker 29, so one of a movable in the horizontal plane and the height of the robot arm with a gripper, which - together with an optical detection of the bottles - on the conveyor belt 30 in the situation is to remove the bottles 1 from the conveyor belt and in the space provided in the designated grid grid 27, which is suitable for the particular application in the transport container 20 , put into it.

Also, the deposition of the container caps 22 on this grid at the intended positions is possible in this way, which are supplied simultaneously with the bottles or separately elsewhere.

It goes without saying that for this purpose, the corresponding carriage 9 with the transport container 20 must be located at a defined position within the Gruppierstation 3 , but this is true for all workstations and is effected by the control of the system.

The equipped with bottles 1 transport container 20 then continue along the upper guide track 18a in the sterilization station 4th

• zwischen den einzelnen Arbeitsstationen längere Transportstrecken als eingezeichnet, insbesondere auch als Pufferstrecken für Schlitten 9 und damit Transportbehälter 20 vorgesehen werden können,
• von den dargestellten Arbeitstationen der gleichen Art mehrere seriell hintereinander oder auch parallel nebeneinander vorhanden sein können, die allesamt von den Schlitten 9 über entsprechende Gestaltung der Transportvorrichtung 8 erreichbar sind.

The juxtaposed representation of the FIG. 3 should not obscure that, depending on the time required for the individual work processes

• longer transport distances than indicated, in particular also as buffer sections for carriages 9 and thus transport containers 20 can be provided between the individual workstations,
• of the illustrated work stations of the same kind can be present several serially in succession or also parallel next to each other, all of which are accessible from the carriage 9 via appropriate design of the transport device 8 .

In the sterilizer 4 , the inserted, still empty bottles 1 are sterilized, preferably by a hood 13, in the inside of the sterilizing device 25 is arranged and which is like the picker 29 attached to the overlying trusses of the machine frame, this time by means of a lifting linkage 31 the transport container 20 are lowered germ-tight and then set by means of go in the sterilizer 25 sterilized.

Subsequently, the container lid 23 is closed, so that the interior of the transport container 20 remains sterile, and after lifting the hood 13 in the interior sterile transport container 20 process in the filling station 5 .

Before lifting the hood 13 and its hood cover 24 can be closed to maintain sterility in the hood 13 .

In the filling station 5 , in turn, a germinable on the transport container 20 hood 13 is placed on this, in contrast to the sterilization station 4 inside a filling head 14 with snorkelling for lowering into the bottles 1 and filling the bottles has.

For this purpose, the container lid 23 is opened after the germ-proof placement of this hood 13 , z. B. folded up to the side within the hood 13 and an optionally on the hood 13 existing hood cover 24 also, so after placing the hood and before opening the container lid 23, opened.

If this process is not sufficient to maintain adequate sterility, one or more additional sterilization devices may be present in the hood 13 in addition to the filling head 14 .

• Das Verschließwerkzeug ist dort wiederum in einer absenkbaren, dicht auf den Transportbehälter 20 aufsetzbaren Haube 13 angeordnet, sodass nach dem Aufsetzen der Haube 13, die Ihrerseits durch einen Haubendeckel 24 verschließ- oder öffenbar ist, der Behälterdeckel 23 geöffnet wird und das Verschließwerkzeug 15 die Verschlusskappen 22 ergreift und auf die Flaschen 1 keimdicht aufschraubt.

After filling and retracting the snorkel of the filling head 14 , the transport container 20 is again sealed by closing the container lid 23 , so that the interior of the transport container 20 should continue to be germ-free, then lifted the hood 13 upwards and the transport container 20 with the now filled, but still open bottles with germ-tight closed container lid 23 continue to Verschließstation 6:

• The closure tool is there again arranged in a lowerable, tight on the transport container 20 hood 13 , so that after placing the hood 13, which in turn is closed or opened by a hood cover 24 , the container lid 23 is opened and the closing tool 15, the caps 22 and screwed on the bottles 1 germ-proof.

Thus, the part to be carried out under sterile conditions of the filling process is completed and after lifting this hood 13 with the closing tool 15 , the transport container 20 can be moved further into the discharge station 7 , without having to close the container lid 23 again germ-tight.

Accordingly, in the discharge station 7, a gripping tool without germ-tight surrounding hood is lowered onto the bottles 1, takes them and puts them in groups, eg. B. in an outer packaging 28, from, which is located in the working area of this gripping device and may for example stand on a conveyor belt 30 .

Once the transport container 20, which is located on the top of the web body 18, is empty, this section of the web body 18 pivots about its longitudinal axis by 180 ° , so that the carriage 9 with the corresponding empty transport container 20 hanging down on the lower guide track 18b of the sheet body 18 is located.

From there, this transport container 20 is moved along the lower guide track 18b suspended to the beginning of the transport device and cleaned on the way to a cleaning station 12 in the downwardly open state by means of liquid or gas remaining in the transport container 20 liquid or solid deposits.

Arrived at the beginning of the transport device 8 , ie in this case in the area of the grouping station 3 , the local section of the track body 18 again swings upwards by 180 ° with the transport container 20 , which is thus again ready to fill the empty bottles 1 . Of course, enough slides 9 with transport containers 20 at the same time in the system on the way that can be used simultaneously at all stations.

To keep the interior of the transport container 20 to the required workstations after opening the container lid 23 sterile or even to sterilize, instead of the germ-tight sealable container lid 23 in the individual workstations or multiple workstations across sterile rooms 19 may be provided in the Carriage 9 with the transport containers 20 located thereon and the first packages contained therein, ie bottles 1, alternately in and out.

For this purpose, a sterile lock must be present at the entrance and exit of the sterile room 19 into which the transport container 20 with the carriage 9 travels and after closing the sterile lock 32, the interior of the sterile lock 32 together with the transport container 20 therein , for this purpose course, must be open, sterilized.

For this purpose, on both sides, ie at the input and output, the sterile lock 32 a sterile bulkhead 17 is provided - as in FIG. 4 shown - which is tightly closed by extending it as a sliding gate or flap in the closed state through a gap in the web body 18 of the transport device 8 , but the gap on the other hand is so short dimensioned that the carriage 9 can drive over it.

For example, when the transport carriage 9 along the guide rail 18a or b to be moved by a drivable pinion is mounted in the carriage 9, along moves the carriage 9 along a mounted in the guide path 18d rack, so that passing over the gap 21 by two synchronously driven Drive pinion 33 at the beginning and end of the carriage 9 possible.

It goes without saying that this design due to the necessary locks 32 pulls an extension of the filling system in the direction of passage 10 by itself.

• Die Transportvorrichtung 8, entlang der mittels der aus den Figuren 1 bekannten Schlitten 9 die Transportbehälter 20 mit darin befindlichen Flaschen 1 von einer Arbeitstation zur nächsten bewegt werden, beginnt in der Gruppierstation 3, in der die auf einem z. B. Förderband 30 ungeordnet stehend angelieferten leeren Flaschen 1 von einem Picker 29 in die definierten Positionen innerhalb der Transportbehälter 20 eingesetzt werden und vorzugsweise auch die benötigten Verschlusskappen 22 neben den Flaschen 1 darin abgelegt werden.

FIG. 2 shows - in the top view of the bottling plant - another design:

• The transport device 8, along by means of the FIGS. 1 known slide 9, the transport container 20 are moved with therein bottles 1 from one workstation to the next, begins in the Gruppierstation 3, in which the z. B. conveyor belt 30 unordered standing delivered empty bottles 1 are used by a picker 29 in the defined positions within the transport container 20 and preferably also the required caps 22 next to the bottles 1 are stored therein.

For reasons of clarity, the corresponding tools and robots are not shown in the other workstations.

The so equipped transport container 20 is further moved in the direction of transport 10 in the direction of sterilizing station 4, of which in this case two consecutively in the transport direction 10 are present, since the sterilization often requires a long cycle time.

For this purpose, a buffer line 34 for buffering transport containers 20 with bottles 1 is provided between the grouping station 3 and the sterilization station 4 .

Within the sterilizing stations 4 , the transport containers 20 with bottles 1 inserted therein can either be sterilized by means of a dense placing of a hood 13 on the transport containers 20 - as explained with reference to the remaining figures, in which case only the space within the hood 13 and the transport container 20 is sterilized, or without placing such a hood 13, by the entire transport container 20 including the carriage carrying him 9 and the underlying sheet body 18th the transport device 8 are located in this area within a sterile room 19 . Then, however, a sterile lock 32 is necessary for the inlet and outlet as a rule, in FIG. 2 is not shown separately, but based on the FIG. 4 is explained in a possible design.

Also in the design according to FIG. 2 the transport container 20 has a lid 23 which can be closed in a germ-tight manner , which is closed before sterilization ends in the sterilization stations 4 , so that the transport containers 20 subsequently transported on the transport device 8 and optionally cached at a further buffer section 34 under the closed lid 23 still empty and open Bottles are kept germ-proof.

These transport containers 20 then move into the filling station 5, where the bottles are filled and then into the capping station 6, where they are closed by hardly tight screwing the caps 22 .

Both must be done under sterile environmental conditions, such as. B. explained with reference to the other figures by germ-proof placement of a hood 13, within which then the filling and closing takes place, or in turn takes place without placing a hood of this filling and / or closing in a sterile room 19 , which in turn the input and Extending the transport container 20 by means of a sterile lock 32 requires.

After the bottles 1 are filled and sealed, sterile ambient conditions are no longer necessary, so that in the discharge station 7, the group-wise discharging z. B. on a conveyor belt 30 without such measures is possible.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1

First-time packaging, bottle

2

Supply station

3

Arraying station

4

Sterilization Station

5

Filling station

6

Occlusive station

7

Carry-out station

8th

Transportvörrichtung

9

carriage

10

Transport direction, passage direction

11

transversely

12

Cleaning Station

13

Hood

14

filling head

15

A closure

16

Closing device, cover

17

sterile Schott

18

roadbed

18 a, b

guideway

19

sterile room

20

transport container

21

gap

22

cap

23

container lid

24

Haubendeckel

25

Sterilization

26

Overpressure membrane

27

grid grid

28

overpack

29

Picker

30

conveyor belt

31

lifting linkage

32

sterile lock

33

pinion

34

buffer zone

Claims (12)

1. A packing machine for a product that is packaged into primary packagings (1) germ-free, the packaging machine comprising:

   - a feed station (2) for feeding the primary packagings (1),

   - a grouping station (3) for grouping the primary packagings (1),

   - a filling station (5) for filling the primary packagings (1),

   - a closing station (6) for closing the filled primary packagings (1),

   - an output station (7) for putting out the closed primary packagings (1),

   - a transport device (8) for concatenating the stations (2-7) with plural slides (9) that are movable independently from each other, in particular along a guide track of a track element (18), wherein the slides (9) support the primary packagings (1),

   - a sterilization station (4) for sterilizing the transport containers (20) including the empty primary packagings (1) included therein,

   characterized in that the packaging machine comprises:

   - transport containers (20) that are movable by a respective slide (9) and which include a germ tight closure which can be opened and closed again to receive the primary packagings (1).
2. The packaging machine according to claim 1,
   characterized in that
   the packaging machine includes a cleaning station (12) for removing solid or liquid deposits in the transport containers (20).
3. The packaging machine according to one of the preceding claims,
   characterized in that
   the track element (18) includes sections that are movable, in particular rotatable about an extension (10) and the track element includes a guide track (18a, b) on a top side and also on a bottom side.
4. The packaging machine according to one of the preceding claims,
   characterized in that
   the cleaning station (12) is below the track element (18) and the transport containers (20) suspended at the slides (9) of the lower guide track (18a, b) are being cleaned.
5. The packaging machine according to one of the preceding claims,
   Characterized in that

   - the sterilization station (4) includes a sterilization device (25) which is connectable tight at the transport container (20), that the sterilization device is in particular configured as a hood (13) and tightly placed onto the tub shaped transport container (20),

   - a filling head (14) includes a closing tool (15) for closing the primary packagings (1).
6. The packaging machine according to one of the preceding claims,
   characterized in that

   - the packaging machine includes plural sterilization stations (4) that are arranged behind one another or parallel adjacent to each other, and/or

   - the transport containers (20) include a germ tight closure device (16), in particular at a top side of the transport containers (20) wherein the closure device is configured in particular so that it does not impede an application of a sterilization device (25) in an open condition of the closure device.
7. The packaging machine according to one of the preceding claims,
   characterized in that

   - the transport container (20) includes an upward pivotable lid (16) that is in particular segmented and forms the closure device, and/or a completely removable lid (16) and/or,

   - moving components of the transport container (20), in particular its cover (16) are triggered touch free, in particular by magnetic force from outside of the transport container (20), in particular caused by the slide (9) or the tool impacting the transport container (20).
8. A method for germ free filling of a product into a primary packaging, comprising the steps:

   - feeding the primary packagings (1),

   - inserting the primary packagings (1) into the transport container (20),

   - sterilizing the primary packagings (1) in the transport container (20),

   - filling the primary packagings (1) with the product,

   - closing the filled primary packagings (1),

   - putting out the filled and closed primary packagings (1),

   wherein

   - the transport containers (20) are moved independently from each other, in particular along one or plural guide tracks (18a, b),

   characterized in that
   the primary packagings (1) are kept sterile from sterilizing to closing in that the transport containers (20) are re-closable germ tight and are opened in a germ tight environment and closed again in the germ tight environment for filling and closing the primary packagings (1).
9. The method according to claim 8,
   characterized in that

   - the transport containers (20) are sterilized by tight connecting to a sterilizing device and/or

   - filling and closing is performed in the same work station in particular without leaving a sterile space (19).
10. The method according to one of the preceding method claims,
    characterized in that

    - the sterilizing is performed in plural sterilization stations (4) simultaneously and in particular arriving transport containers (20) are buffered in front of the sterilizing stations (4) and/or the transport containers are buffered between the sterilizing stations (4) and the subsequent work station, in particular the filling station (5), and/or

    - the slides (9) with the transport containers (20) respectively run over a gap (21) in the guide track (18a, b) and in particular in the track element (18) at a transition from the sterile portion (19) to the non sterile portion and vice versa, wherein a sterile gate (17) is closable through the gap (21).
11. The method according to one of the preceding method claims,
    characterized in that

    - the sterilized closed transport containers (20) are maintained under a positive pressure, and/or

    - the filling head (14) and/or the closure tool (15) are sterilized during operation of the machine, in particular in that the tools are provided redundant so that one tool is sterilized while another tool is working.
12. The method according to one of the preceding method claims,
    characterized in that

    - plastic tubes forming the primary packaging (1) are closed by ultra sound sealing after filling and overhanging portions are cut off simultaneously with the ultra sound sealing, and/or

    - the ultra sound sealing and/or ultra sound punching is performed with a tube standing up right and a sealing seem oriented upward, and cut off tube waste is moved with compressed air horizontally to a side into a capture container.

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