EP3717397B1 - Closure device for adding gas to and closing containers that have a filler opening - Google Patents

Closure device for adding gas to and closing containers that have a filler opening Download PDF

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Publication number
EP3717397B1
EP3717397B1 EP18811714.7A EP18811714A EP3717397B1 EP 3717397 B1 EP3717397 B1 EP 3717397B1 EP 18811714 A EP18811714 A EP 18811714A EP 3717397 B1 EP3717397 B1 EP 3717397B1
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EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
closing
flushing
nozzle
container
filling opening
Prior art date
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EP18811714.7A
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German (de)
French (fr)
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EP3717397A1 (en
Inventor
Thomas NEBER
Daniel SPIELER
Tim GÖGELEIN
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Bausch and Stroebel Maschinenfabrik Ilshofen GmbH and Co KG
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Bausch and Stroebel Maschinenfabrik Ilshofen GmbH and Co KG
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Publication of EP3717397A1 publication Critical patent/EP3717397A1/en
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Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B67—OPENING, CLOSING OR CLEANING BOTTLES, JARS OR SIMILAR CONTAINERS; LIQUID HANDLING
    • B67C—CLEANING, FILLING WITH LIQUIDS OR SEMILIQUIDS, OR EMPTYING, OF BOTTLES, JARS, CANS, CASKS, BARRELS, OR SIMILAR CONTAINERS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; FUNNELS
    • B67C3/00—Bottling liquids or semiliquids; Filling jars or cans with liquids or semiliquids using bottling or like apparatus; Filling casks or barrels with liquids or semiliquids
    • B67C3/02—Bottling liquids or semiliquids; Filling jars or cans with liquids or semiliquids using bottling or like apparatus
    • B67C3/22—Details
    • B67C3/222—Head-space air removing devices, e.g. by inducing foam
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65B—MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING
    • B65B3/00—Packaging plastic material, semiliquids, liquids or mixed solids and liquids, in individual containers or receptacles, e.g. bags, sacks, boxes, cartons, cans, or jars
    • B65B3/003—Filling medical containers such as ampoules, vials, syringes or the like
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65B—MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING
    • B65B31/00—Packaging articles or materials under special atmospheric or gaseous conditions; Adding propellants to aerosol containers
    • B65B31/04—Evacuating, pressurising or gasifying filled containers or wrappers by means of nozzles through which air or other gas, e.g. an inert gas, is withdrawn or supplied
    • B65B31/046—Evacuating, pressurising or gasifying filled containers or wrappers by means of nozzles through which air or other gas, e.g. an inert gas, is withdrawn or supplied the nozzles co-operating, or being combined, with a device for opening or closing the container or wrapper
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B67—OPENING, CLOSING OR CLEANING BOTTLES, JARS OR SIMILAR CONTAINERS; LIQUID HANDLING
    • B67B—APPLYING CLOSURE MEMBERS TO BOTTLES JARS, OR SIMILAR CONTAINERS; OPENING CLOSED CONTAINERS
    • B67B1/00—Closing bottles, jars or similar containers by applying stoppers

Definitions

  • Closing devices of the type considered here are used, for example, in the chemical industry and in the pharmaceutical industry in order to close the relevant containers after they have been filled with, for example, oxygen-sensitive, liquid chemicals or pharmaceuticals. It is already known to flush the head space volume of the container with an inert gas, for example nitrogen, as a flushing gas, in order to displace oxygen from the head space, before closing such filled containers.
  • an inert gas for example nitrogen
  • closure devices in which nozzles of a nozzle device are positioned obliquely on the mouths of the container while the inert gas flows into the container.
  • the nozzles are withdrawn from the container mouths at the end of the respective flushing gas in order to make room for the operation of a closure element setting device, which attaches a respective closure, for example a respective rubber stopper, to the container to be closed, ie brings it into the filling opening around the container in question to close.
  • the rinsing of the containers by means of the rinsing device and, if necessary, also the closing of the containers can, if necessary, take place during a transport movement of the containers, the nozzles and possibly the closure setting means being moved along in the transport direction.
  • the relevant elements of the closing device can, for example, move along with the containers in one cycle step and then start again at the next machine cycle.
  • Inert gas e.g. nitrogen, is preferably used as the flushing gas.
  • the central nozzle arrangement and the peripheral nozzle arrangement together form a gas discharge area which is larger than the filling opening of a relevant container to be closed.
  • flushing gas is blown from the central nozzle arrangement into the filling opening of the container in question.
  • the peripheral nozzle arrangement discharges flushing gas into the area of the periphery of the filling opening.
  • the central nozzle arrangement and the peripheral nozzle arrangement are each designed as a tubular element, the tubular element forming the central nozzle arrangement being received in particular concentrically in the tubular element forming the peripheral nozzle arrangement.
  • Such a construction can be produced inexpensively with simple means and, moreover, has the advantage that a favorable flow of flushing gas is possible when flushing the relevant container.
  • the peripheral nozzle arrangement can surround a plurality of the central nozzle arrangement all around Have peripheral nozzles.
  • the central nozzle arrangement can also optionally have several nozzles as a bundle.
  • the flushing gas flow of the central nozzle arrangement and the flushing gas flow of the peripheral nozzle arrangement can preferably be controlled separately in order to set optimal conditions during flushing.
  • the position for closing and the rinsing position for a respective container to be rinsed and closed correspond to one another, the nozzle device being movable between the rinsing position and a retracted position relative to a container brought into the position for closing by means of the positioning device.
  • the flushing position its flushing gas outlet end is positioned opposite the filling opening of the container, overlapping it.
  • the final process of attaching the closing element i.e. closing the container, can be carried out quickly after the nozzle device has at least largely carried out its movement into the retracted position. In this way, it can be largely prevented that, after the flushing process and before the container is completely closed, atmospheric oxygen can again enter the container through the filling opening.
  • the nozzle device is advantageously designed in such a way that, in the rinsing position, it is oriented at an angle to the filling opening of a container that is positioned in the position for closing and is to be rinsed.
  • a nozzle device can be moved quickly in the shortest possible way, for example by pivoting it sideways and / or pulling it away from its rinsing position into the retracted position.
  • the nozzle device is beveled at its flushing gas outlet end relative to the longitudinal axis of the pipe element, so that the flushing gas outlet end in the flushing position of the nozzle device lies at least approximately in a plane that is parallel to the upper edge of the filler opening of a respective position for Closing the positioned container extends.
  • Such an arrangement allows an even further improved flow guidance of the flushing gas when flushing a container.
  • the closure element setting device can have a closure element holder which can be moved between a retracted passive position and an advanced closure element delivery position, which can for example be a stopper setter that can press a stopper as a closure element into the filling opening of a container to be closed.
  • the closing device is preferably controllable by means of the control device in such a way that the movement of the closing element holder from its retracted passive position into the advanced closing element delivery position and the movement of the nozzle device from the rinsing position into its retracted position take place at least partially simultaneously. This also serves to minimize a period of time between the targeted flushing and the subsequent attachment of the closure element to a relevant container, so that hardly any air can flow into the container during this period.
  • the closing device has an additional nozzle device with at least one flushing nozzle for discharging flushing gas in the direction of the locking element holder, so that the flushing nozzle can blow flushing gas onto a locking element held by the locking element holder for a current closing process.
  • This measure serves to prevent atmospheric oxygen, which can be located in a recess in the relevant closure element, from being introduced into the container to be closed.
  • the additional nozzle device serves to displace and replace such air oxygen residues with flushing gas, so that flushing gas, but as far as possible no oxygen, can be introduced into a relevant container when the sealing element is put on.
  • the positioning device is designed to arrange a group of containers to be closed in a position for closing, the closure element setting device also being designed for attaching closure elements to a corresponding group of containers to be closed in a position that closes the filling openings .
  • the nozzle device of the flushing device is provided several times to form a group of similar nozzle devices.
  • the figure shows a partially schematic, partial detailed sectional view of a region of the closing device in which the purging of a relevant container with inert gas and the closing of the container take place.
  • a bottle 3 can be seen as a container, which is filled with an oxygen-sensitive liquid pharmaceutical 7 except for a headspace volume 5.
  • the vial 3 is located in a positioning device 9 of the closure device and has been brought into the position shown for closure by means of this positioning device 9, this position for closure also corresponding to the rinsing position in which, for example, inert gas is introduced as rinsing gas into the head space 5 of the vial 3 will.
  • a rinsing device 11 serves for this purpose, of which essentially a nozzle device 13 can be seen in its rinsing position relative to the bottle 3 in the figure.
  • the nozzle device 13 has, as a central nozzle arrangement, an inner cylindrical tubular element 15 which, in the rinsing position, is directed essentially at the filling opening 18 of the vial 3 in order to inject the inert gas there.
  • the nozzle device 13 further comprises, as a peripheral nozzle arrangement, a cylindrical tubular element 17 which coaxially surrounds the tubular element 15 and which also serves to discharge inert gas.
  • Inert gas can thus be blown into the periphery of the filling opening 18 of the vial 3 from the space 19 between the central tube element 15 and the peripheral tube element 17 in order to displace air and thus the atmospheric oxygen so that it does not enter the filling opening due to suction during the flushing process 18 is sucked in.
  • the pipe element 17 and / or the pipe element 15 can be expanded like a funnel at the outlet of the nozzle device 13.
  • the gas flow 20 of the central tubular element 15, which is directed towards the filling opening 18 of the vial 3, and the gas flow 22 delimited on the outside by the peripheral tubular element 17 are separate from one another in their Controllable strength.
  • a control device 24, which also controls the other functions of the closing device, is used for control.
  • a further measure to minimize the residual oxygen content in the bottle 3 is an additional nozzle device 26 with at least one additional flushing nozzle 28, which in the example in turn is directed towards an inert gas in the direction of a closure element in the form of a stopper 30, which is kept ready for the subsequent closing process, so that the flushing gas enters the lower recess 32 of the plug 30 and can displace air there.
  • the frame 34 of the additional nozzle device 26 is constructed in such a way that the areas 5, 32 to be rinsed are well shielded from the outside against the ingress of air when the vial 3 and the nozzle device 13 are in the rinsing position shown. In this way, it is prevented that outside air can flow in critical quantities to the flushed areas.
  • the plug 30 is located at the lower end of a push-in plunger 36 as a closure element holder of a closure element setting device 38.
  • the push-in plunger 36 is shown in a retracted passive position, from which it can be moved into an advanced closure element dispensing position, around the plug 30 into the filling opening 18 of bottle 3.
  • the nozzle device 13 must first be moved out of the way between the stopper 30 shown and the filling opening 18 of the vial 3. This takes place very quickly after the rinsing process by moving the nozzle device laterally to the right in the figure by means of a relevant component, utilizing an at least approximately horizontal movement component Drive device (not shown) is moved to a retracted position.
  • a drive device of the closure element setting device 38 moves the push-in plunger 36 from the withdrawn passive position shown in the figure into an advanced closure element dispensing position, in which it presses the stopper 30 into the filling opening 18 of the vial 3.
  • the bottle 3 is then tightly closed and has an extremely low residual oxygen content in its head space 5.
  • the nozzle device 13 in its rinsing position is oriented at an angle to the filling opening of the bottle 3 that is positioned in the position for closing and is to be rinsed. It should also be noted that the nozzle device 13 is beveled at its purge gas outlet end relative to the pipe element longitudinal axis 42, so that the purge gas outlet end 40 in the purge position of the nozzle device 13 lies at least approximately in a plane that is parallel to the upper edge of the filling opening 18 of the vial 3 extends. These measures serve, on the one hand, to improve the flushing effect of the vial 3, and, on the other hand, to enable the nozzle device 13 to move more quickly out of the space between the stopper 30 and the filling opening 18.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Dispersion Chemistry (AREA)
  • Filling Of Jars Or Cans And Processes For Cleaning And Sealing Jars (AREA)
  • Vacuum Packaging (AREA)

Description

Die Erfindung betrifft eine Verschließvorrichtung zum Verschließen von insbesondere automatisch befüllten Behältern, die eine Einfüllöffnung aufweisen, wie etwa Flaschen, Dosen, Vials, Karpulen oder Ampullen. Die Verschließvorrichtung umfasst

  • eine Positioniereinrichtung zum Anordnen eines zu verschließenden Behälters in eine Position zum Verschließen,
  • eine Spüleinrichtung mit einer Düsenvorrichtung zum Einblasen von Spülgas in einen zu verschließenden Behälter durch dessen Einfüllöffnung hindurch vor dem Verschließen,
  • eine Verschlusselementsetzeinrichtung zum Anbringen eines Verschlusselementes an einen zu verschließenden Behälter in einer dessen Einfüllöffnung und somit den Behälter verschließenden Stellung und
  • eine Steuereinrichtung.
The invention relates to a closing device for closing, in particular, automatically filled containers which have a filling opening, such as bottles, cans, vials, cartridges or ampoules. The closing device comprises
  • a positioning device for arranging a container to be closed in a position for closing,
  • a flushing device with a nozzle device for blowing flushing gas into a container to be closed through its filling opening before closing,
  • a closure element setting device for attaching a closure element to a container to be closed in a position thereof which closes the filling opening and thus the container
  • a control device.

Verschließvorrichtungen der hier betrachteten Art werden beispielsweise in der chemischen Industrie und in der pharmazeutischen Industrie eingesetzt, um betreffende Behälter nach deren Befüllen mit beispielsweise sauerstoffempfindlichen, flüssigen Chemikalien bzw. Pharmazeutika zu verschließen. Es ist bereits bekannt, vor dem Verschließen von solchen gefüllten Behältern das Kopfraumvolumen der Behälter mit inertem Gas, beispielsweise Stickstoff, als Spülgas zu spülen, um Sauerstoff aus dem Kopfraum zu verdrängen.Closing devices of the type considered here are used, for example, in the chemical industry and in the pharmaceutical industry in order to close the relevant containers after they have been filled with, for example, oxygen-sensitive, liquid chemicals or pharmaceuticals. It is already known to flush the head space volume of the container with an inert gas, for example nitrogen, as a flushing gas, in order to displace oxygen from the head space, before closing such filled containers.

Es existieren derartige Verschließvorrichtungen, bei denen Düsen einer Düsenvorrichtung schräg auf den Mündungen der Behälter positioniert werden, während das Inertgas in die Behälter einströmt. Die Düsen werden am Ende des jeweiligen Spülbegasens von den Behältermündungen zurückgezogen, um Platz für die Arbeitsweise einer Verschlusselementsetzeinrichtung zu machen, die einen jeweiligen Verschluss, beispielsweise einen jeweiligen Gummistopfen, an die zu verschließenden Behälter anbringt, d.h. in die Einfüllöffnung einbringt, um den betreffenden Behälter zu verschließen. Das Spülen der Behälter mittels der Spüleinrichtung und ggf. auch das Verschließen der Behälter kann ggf. während einer Transportbewegung der Behälter erfolgen, wobei die Düsen und ggf. die Verschlusssetzmittel in Transportrichtung mitbewegt werden. Die betreffenden Elemente der Verschließvorrichtung können dabei beispielsweise einen Taktschritt mit den Behältern mitfahren und anschließend am nachfolgenden Maschinentakt neu ansetzen.There are such closure devices in which nozzles of a nozzle device are positioned obliquely on the mouths of the container while the inert gas flows into the container. The nozzles are withdrawn from the container mouths at the end of the respective flushing gas in order to make room for the operation of a closure element setting device, which attaches a respective closure, for example a respective rubber stopper, to the container to be closed, ie brings it into the filling opening around the container in question to close. The rinsing of the containers by means of the rinsing device and, if necessary, also the closing of the containers can, if necessary, take place during a transport movement of the containers, the nozzles and possibly the closure setting means being moved along in the transport direction. The relevant elements of the closing device can, for example, move along with the containers in one cycle step and then start again at the next machine cycle.

Es ist auch bereits bekannt, dass der Luftsauerstoff, der sich in einer typischerweise vorhandenen unteren Vertiefung eines für den Verschließvorgang bereitstehend positionierten Verschlusselementes befindet, mit in den Behälter eingebracht wird, so dass dadurch der Restsauerstoff im verschlossenen Behälter in entsprechender Weise erhöht wird. Um dem möglichst abzuhelfen, werden bekanntermaßen zusätzliche Spüldüsen eingesetzt, die beispielsweise von schräg unten inertes Gas in die Verschlusselementvertiefungen blasen, um die darin befindliche Luft zu verdrängen.It is also already known that the atmospheric oxygen, which is located in a typically present lower recess of a closing element positioned ready for the closing process, is also introduced into the container, so that the residual oxygen in the closed container is increased accordingly. In order to remedy this as far as possible, it is known that additional flushing nozzles are used which, for example, blow inert gas into the closure element depressions at an angle from below in order to displace the air contained therein.

Mit bekannten Vorrichtungen der vorstehend genannten Art konnte eine Reduzierung des Restsauerstoffs im Kopfraum der behandelten Behälter auf wenige Volumenprozent, beispielsweise 2 Volumenprozent erreicht werden.With known devices of the type mentioned above, it was possible to reduce the residual oxygen in the head space of the treated containers to a few percent by volume, for example 2 percent by volume.

Genauer betrifft die Erfindung eine Verschließvorrichtung mit den Merkmalen des Oberbegriffs von Anspruch 1, nämlich

  • eine Verschließvorrichtung zum Verschließen von Behältern, die ein Einfüllöffnung aufweisen, wie etwa Flaschen oder Dosen, umfassend
    • eine Positioniereinrichtung zum Anordnen eines zu verschließenden Behälters in eine Position zum Verschließen,
    • eine Spüleinrichtung mit einer Düsenvorrichtung zum Einblasen von Spülgas in einen zu verschließenden Behälter durch dessen Einfüllöffnung hindurch vor dem Verschließen,
    • eine Verschlusselementsetzeinrichtung zum Anbringen eines Verschlusselementes an einen zu verschließenden Behälter in einer dessen Einfüllöffnung und somit den Behälter verschließenden Stellung und
    • eine Steuereinrichtung,
  • wobei die Düsenvorrichtung eine Zentraldüsenanordnung und eine die Zentraldüsenanordnung umgebende Peripheriedüsenanordnung aufweist, wobei die Düsenvorrichtung und ein zu verschließender Behälter mittels der Positioniereinrichtung so relativ zueinander in einer Spülposition positionierbar sind, dass die Zentraldüsenanordnung zum Einbringen von Spülgas in den Behälter zumindest hauptsächlich auf dessen Einfüllöffnung ausgerichtet ist und die Peripheriedüsenanordnung einen Peripheriebereich der Einfüllöffnung anvisiert, so dass sowohl die Einfüllöffnung als auch deren Peripherie einem Spülgasstrom ausgesetzt sind, wenn die Düsenvorrichtung Spülgas ausbringt.
More precisely, the invention relates to a closing device with the features of the preamble of claim 1, namely
  • a closing device for closing containers which have a filling opening, such as bottles or cans
    • a positioning device for arranging a container to be closed in a position for closing,
    • a flushing device with a nozzle device for blowing flushing gas into a container to be closed through its filling opening before closing,
    • a closure element setting device for attaching a closure element to a container to be closed in a position thereof which closes the filling opening and thus the container
    • a control device,
  • wherein the nozzle device has a central nozzle arrangement and a peripheral nozzle arrangement surrounding the central nozzle arrangement, wherein the nozzle device and a container to be closed can be positioned relative to one another in a flushing position by means of the positioning device so that the central nozzle arrangement for introducing flushing gas into the container is at least mainly aligned with its filling opening and the peripheral nozzle arrangement is aimed at a peripheral region of the filling opening, so that both the filling opening and its periphery are exposed to a flushing gas flow when the nozzle device is dispensing flushing gas.

Derartige gattungsgemäße Verschließvorrichtungen sind beispielsweise bekannt aus EP 2 669 200 A1 , JP H02 139313 A und US 2006/231156 A1 . Vor diesem Hintergrund besteht die Aufgabe der vorliegenden Erfindung darin, die gattungsgemäße Verschließvorrichtung im Hinblick darauf zu verbessern, dass nach dem Spülvorgang und vor dem vollständigen Verschließen des Behälters möglichst wenig Luftsauerstoff durch die Einfüllöffnung in den Behälter gelangen kann. Diese Aufgabe wird gelöst durch eine Verschließvorrichtung mit den Merkmalen von Anspruch 1.Such generic closing devices are known from, for example EP 2 669 200 A1 , JP H02 139313 A and US 2006/231156 A1 . Against this background, the object of the present invention is to improve the generic closing device with regard to the fact that after the flushing process and before the complete closing of the container as little atmospheric oxygen as possible through the filling opening into the Can get container. This object is achieved by a locking device with the features of claim 1.

Als Spülgas kommt vorzugsweise Inertgas, z.B. Stickstoff, infrage.Inert gas, e.g. nitrogen, is preferably used as the flushing gas.

Die Zentraldüsenanordnung und die Peripheridüsenanordnung bilden gemeinsam einen Gasauströmbereich, der größer ist als die Einfüllöffnung eines betreffenden zu verschließenden Behälters. Beim bestimmungsgemäßen Betrieb der Spüleinrichtung wird somit einerseits Spülgas aus der Zentraldüsenanordnung in die Einfüllöffnung des betreffenden Behälters eingeblasen. Gleichzeitig bringt die Peripheriedüsenanordnung Spülgas in den Bereich der Peripherie der Einfüllöffnung aus. Dies hat zur Folge, dass eine etwaige Sogwirkung der Zentraldüsenanordnung beim Einblasen des Spülgases in die Einfüllöffnung des betreffenden Behälters nicht Luft und damit unerwünschten Sauerstoff aus der seitlichen Umgebung mit in die Einfüllöffnung einbringt, sondern allenfalls dort vorhandenes Spülgas der Peripheriedüsenanordnung. Die mit der Verschließvorrichtung nach der Erfindung erzielten sehr guten Ergebnisse sind ein guter Beleg dafür. So konnte ein Restsauerstoffgehalt von < 0,5 % im Kopfraum mittels der Verschließvorrichtung nach der Erfindung verschlossener Behälter festgestellt werden.The central nozzle arrangement and the peripheral nozzle arrangement together form a gas discharge area which is larger than the filling opening of a relevant container to be closed. During normal operation of the flushing device, on the one hand, flushing gas is blown from the central nozzle arrangement into the filling opening of the container in question. At the same time, the peripheral nozzle arrangement discharges flushing gas into the area of the periphery of the filling opening. As a result, any suction effect of the central nozzle arrangement when the purging gas is blown into the filling opening of the container in question does not bring air and thus undesired oxygen from the surrounding area into the filling opening, but any purging gas from the peripheral nozzle arrangement that is present there. The very good results achieved with the closure device according to the invention are good evidence of this. Thus, a residual oxygen content of <0.5% could be determined in the headspace of containers closed by means of the closing device according to the invention.

Gemäß einer bevorzugten Ausführungsform der Verschließvorrichtung nach der Erfindung sind die Zentraldüsenanordnung und die Peripheriedüsenanordnung jeweils als Rohrelement ausgebildet, wobei das die Zentraldüsenanordnung bildende Rohrelement in dem die Peripheriedüsenanordnung bildenden Rohrelement insbesondere konzentrisch aufgenommen ist. Eine solche Konstruktion ist mit einfachen Mitteln kostengünstig herstellbar und hat überdies den Vorteil, dass eine günstige Spülgasführung beim Spülen betreffender Behälter möglich ist. In einer weiteren Ausführungsform kann die Peripheriedüsenanordnung mehrere die Zentraldüsenanordnung ringsherum umgebende Peripheriedüsen aufweisen. Auch die Zentraldüsenanordnung kann ggf. mehrere Düsen als Bündel aufweisen.According to a preferred embodiment of the closing device according to the invention, the central nozzle arrangement and the peripheral nozzle arrangement are each designed as a tubular element, the tubular element forming the central nozzle arrangement being received in particular concentrically in the tubular element forming the peripheral nozzle arrangement. Such a construction can be produced inexpensively with simple means and, moreover, has the advantage that a favorable flow of flushing gas is possible when flushing the relevant container. In a further embodiment, the peripheral nozzle arrangement can surround a plurality of the central nozzle arrangement all around Have peripheral nozzles. The central nozzle arrangement can also optionally have several nozzles as a bundle.

Vorzugsweise sind der Spülgasstrom der Zentraldüsenordnung und der Spülgasstrom der Peripheriedüsenanordnung separat steuerbar, um optimale Verhältnisse beim Spülen einzustellen.The flushing gas flow of the central nozzle arrangement and the flushing gas flow of the peripheral nozzle arrangement can preferably be controlled separately in order to set optimal conditions during flushing.

Erfindungsgemäß entsprechen die Position zum Verschließen und die Spülposition für einen jeweiligen zu spülenden und zu verschließenden Behälter einander, wobei die Düsenvorrichtung relativ zu einem mittels der Positioniereinrichtung in die Position zum Verschließen eingebrachten Behälter zwischen der Spülposition und einer zurückgezogenen Stellung bewegbar ist. In der Spülposition ist sie mit ihrem Spülgasauslassende der Einfüllöffnung des Behälters diese überlappend gegenüberliegend positioniert. Auf diese Weise kann unter Verwendung entsprechender Antriebe der Verschließvorrichtung der abschließende Vorgang des Anbringens des Verschlusselementes, also das Verschließen des Behälters, rasch vorgenommen werden, nachdem die Düsenvorrichtung ihre Bewegung in die zurückgezogene Stellung zumindest weitestgehend durchgeführt hat. So kann weitestgehend verhindert werden, dass nach dem Spülvorgang und vor dem vollständigen Verschließen des Behälters wieder Luftsauerstoff durch die Einfüllöffnung in den Behälter gelangen kann.According to the invention, the position for closing and the rinsing position for a respective container to be rinsed and closed correspond to one another, the nozzle device being movable between the rinsing position and a retracted position relative to a container brought into the position for closing by means of the positioning device. In the flushing position, its flushing gas outlet end is positioned opposite the filling opening of the container, overlapping it. In this way, using appropriate drives of the closing device, the final process of attaching the closing element, i.e. closing the container, can be carried out quickly after the nozzle device has at least largely carried out its movement into the retracted position. In this way, it can be largely prevented that, after the flushing process and before the container is completely closed, atmospheric oxygen can again enter the container through the filling opening.

Vorteilhafterweise ist bei einer Ausführungsform der Erfindung die Düsenvorrichtung so gestaltet, dass sie in der Spülposition schräg zur Einfüllöffnung eines in Position zum Verschließen positionierten und zu spülenden Behälters orientiert ist. Eine solche Düsenvorrichtung kann auf kürzestem Wege, etwa durch seitliches Verschwenken oder/und seitliches Wegziehen aus ihrer Spülposition in die zurückgezogene Stellung schnell bewegt werden.In one embodiment of the invention, the nozzle device is advantageously designed in such a way that, in the rinsing position, it is oriented at an angle to the filling opening of a container that is positioned in the position for closing and is to be rinsed. Such a nozzle device can be moved quickly in the shortest possible way, for example by pivoting it sideways and / or pulling it away from its rinsing position into the retracted position.

Weiterhin kann es noch vorgesehen sein, dass die Düsenvorrichtung an ihrem Spülgasauslassende relativ zu der Rohrelementlängsachse abgeschrägt ist, so dass das Spülgasauslassende in der Spülposition der Düsenvorrichtung zumindest näherungsweise in einer Ebene liegt, die sich parallel zu dem oberen Rand der Einfüllöffnung eines jeweiligen in Position zum Verschließen positionierten Behälters erstreckt. Eine derartige Anordnung erlaubt eine noch weitergehend verbesserte Strömungsführung des Spülgases beim Spülen eines Behälters.Furthermore, it can also be provided that the nozzle device is beveled at its flushing gas outlet end relative to the longitudinal axis of the pipe element, so that the flushing gas outlet end in the flushing position of the nozzle device lies at least approximately in a plane that is parallel to the upper edge of the filler opening of a respective position for Closing the positioned container extends. Such an arrangement allows an even further improved flow guidance of the flushing gas when flushing a container.

Die Verschlusselementsetzvorrichtung kann gemäß einer Ausführungsform der Erfindung einen zwischen einer zurückgezogenen Passivstellung und einer vorgeschobenen Verschlusselement-Abgabestellung bewegbaren Verschlusselementhalter aufweisen, bei dem es sich beispielsweise um einen Stopfensetzer handeln kann, der einen Stopfen als Verschlusselement in die Einfüllöffnung eines zu verschließenden Behälters eindrücken kann.According to one embodiment of the invention, the closure element setting device can have a closure element holder which can be moved between a retracted passive position and an advanced closure element delivery position, which can for example be a stopper setter that can press a stopper as a closure element into the filling opening of a container to be closed.

Die Verschließvorrichtung ist mittels der Steuereinrichtung vorzugsweise so steuerbar, dass die Bewegung des Verschlusselementhalters aus seiner zurückgezogenen Passivstellung in die vorgeschobene Verschlusselement-Abgabestellung und die Bewegung der Düsenvorrichtung aus der Spülposition in ihre zurückgezogene Stellung zumindest bereichsweise simultan erfolgen. Auch dies dient der Minimierung eines Zeitraums zwischen dem gezielten Spülen und dem anschließenden Anbringen des Verschlusselementes an einen betreffenden Behälter, so dass in diesem Zeitraum kaum Luft in den Behälter strömen kann.The closing device is preferably controllable by means of the control device in such a way that the movement of the closing element holder from its retracted passive position into the advanced closing element delivery position and the movement of the nozzle device from the rinsing position into its retracted position take place at least partially simultaneously. This also serves to minimize a period of time between the targeted flushing and the subsequent attachment of the closure element to a relevant container, so that hardly any air can flow into the container during this period.

Gemäß einer Weiterbildung der Erfindung weist die Verschließvorrichtung eine Zustatzdüsenvorrichtung mit wenigstens einer Spüldüse zum Ausbringen von Spülgas in Richtung des Verschlusselementhalters auf, so dass die Spüldüse Spülgas auf ein von dem Verschlusselementhalter für einen aktuellen Schließvorgang bereitgehaltenes Verschlusselement blasen kann.According to a development of the invention, the closing device has an additional nozzle device with at least one flushing nozzle for discharging flushing gas in the direction of the locking element holder, so that the flushing nozzle can blow flushing gas onto a locking element held by the locking element holder for a current closing process.

Diese Maßnahme dient dazu, zu verhindern, dass Luftsauerstoff, der sich in einer Vertiefung des betreffenden Verschlusselementes befinden kann, mit in den zu verschließenden Behälter eingebracht wird. Die Zusatzdüsenvorrichtung dient dazu, solche Luftsauerstoffreste durch Spülgas zu verdrängen und zu ersetzen, so dass mit einem betreffenden Verschlusselement zwar Spülgas aber möglichst kein Sauerstoff in einen betreffenden Behälter beim Aufsetzen des Verschlusselementes eingebracht werden kann.This measure serves to prevent atmospheric oxygen, which can be located in a recess in the relevant closure element, from being introduced into the container to be closed. The additional nozzle device serves to displace and replace such air oxygen residues with flushing gas, so that flushing gas, but as far as possible no oxygen, can be introduced into a relevant container when the sealing element is put on.

Gemäß einer weiterhin bevorzugten Ausführungsform der Erfindung ist die Positioniereinrichtung dazu ausgebildet, eine Gruppe von zu verschließenden Behältern in eine Position zum Verschließen anzuordnen, wobei ferner die Verschlusselementsetzeinrichtung zum Anbringen von Verschlusselementen an eine entsprechende Gruppe von zu verschließenden Behältern in einer die Einfüllöffnungen verschließenden Stellung ausgebildet ist. Die Düsenvorrichtung der Spüleinrichtung ist dabei mehrfach unter Bildung einer Gruppe gleichartiger Düsenvorrichtungen vorgesehen.According to a further preferred embodiment of the invention, the positioning device is designed to arrange a group of containers to be closed in a position for closing, the closure element setting device also being designed for attaching closure elements to a corresponding group of containers to be closed in a position that closes the filling openings . The nozzle device of the flushing device is provided several times to form a group of similar nozzle devices.

Ein Ausführungsbeispiel der Erfindung wird nachstehend unter Bezugnahme auf die einzelne Figur näher erläutert.An embodiment of the invention is explained in more detail below with reference to the individual figure.

Die Figur zeigt eine teils schematische, ausschnittsweise Detailschnittdarstellung eines Bereichs der Verschließvorrichtung, in welchem das Spülen eines betreffenden Behälters mit Inertgas und das Verschließen des Behälters stattfinden.The figure shows a partially schematic, partial detailed sectional view of a region of the closing device in which the purging of a relevant container with inert gas and the closing of the container take place.

In der Figur ist als Behälter ein Fläschchen 3 erkennbar, welches bis auf ein Kopfraumvolumen 5 mit einem sauerstoffempfindlichen flüssigen Pharmazeutikum 7 befüllt ist.In the figure, a bottle 3 can be seen as a container, which is filled with an oxygen-sensitive liquid pharmaceutical 7 except for a headspace volume 5.

Das Fläschchen 3 befindet sich in einer Positioniereinrichtung 9 der Verschließvorrichtung und ist mittels dieser Positioniereinrichtung 9 in die gezeigte Position zum Verschließen eingebracht worden, wobei diese Position zum Verschließen auch der Spülposition entspricht, in der beispielsweise Inertgas als Spülgas in den Kopfraum 5 des Fläschchens 3 eingebracht wird.The vial 3 is located in a positioning device 9 of the closure device and has been brought into the position shown for closure by means of this positioning device 9, this position for closure also corresponding to the rinsing position in which, for example, inert gas is introduced as rinsing gas into the head space 5 of the vial 3 will.

Hierzu dient eine Spüleinrichtung 11, von der in der Figur im Wesentlichen eine Düsenvorrichtung 13 in ihrer Spülposition relativ zu dem Fläschchen 3 erkennbar ist.A rinsing device 11 serves for this purpose, of which essentially a nozzle device 13 can be seen in its rinsing position relative to the bottle 3 in the figure.

Die Düsenvorrichtung 13 weist als Zentraldüsenanordnung ein inneres zylindrisches Rohrelement 15 auf, welches in der Spülposition im Wesentlichen auf die Einfüllöffnung 18 des Fläschchens 3 gerichtet ist, um dort das Intergas einzublasen.The nozzle device 13 has, as a central nozzle arrangement, an inner cylindrical tubular element 15 which, in the rinsing position, is directed essentially at the filling opening 18 of the vial 3 in order to inject the inert gas there.

Die Düsenvorrichtung 13 umfasst ferner als Peripheriedüsenanordnung ein das Rohrelement 15 koaxial umgebendes zylindrisches Rohrelement 17, welches ebenfalls dazu dient, Inertgas auszubringen. Aus dem Zwischenraum 19 zwischen dem zentralen Rohrelement 15 und dem peripheren Rohrelement 17 kann somit Inertgas in die Peripherie der Einfüllöffnung 18 des Fläschchens 3 geblasen werden, um dort Luft und somit den Luftsauerstoff zu verdrängen, damit er nicht aufgrund von Sogwirkungen beim Spülvorgang in die Einfüllöffnung 18 eingesogen wird.The nozzle device 13 further comprises, as a peripheral nozzle arrangement, a cylindrical tubular element 17 which coaxially surrounds the tubular element 15 and which also serves to discharge inert gas. Inert gas can thus be blown into the periphery of the filling opening 18 of the vial 3 from the space 19 between the central tube element 15 and the peripheral tube element 17 in order to displace air and thus the atmospheric oxygen so that it does not enter the filling opening due to suction during the flushing process 18 is sucked in.

Gemäß einer abgewandelten Ausführungsform der Erfindung kann das Rohrelement 17 oder/und das Rohrelement 15 am Ausgang der Düsenvorrichtung 13 trichterartig aufgeweitet sein.According to a modified embodiment of the invention, the pipe element 17 and / or the pipe element 15 can be expanded like a funnel at the outlet of the nozzle device 13.

Der auf die Einfüllöffnung 18 des Fläschchens 3 gerichtete Gasstrom 20 des zentralen Rohrelementes 15 und der außen von dem peripheren Rohrelement 17 begrenzte Gasstrom 22 sind separat voneinander in ihrer Stärke steuerbar. Zur Steuerung dient eine Steuereinrichtung 24, welche auch die übrigen Funktionen der Verschließvorrichtung steuert.The gas flow 20 of the central tubular element 15, which is directed towards the filling opening 18 of the vial 3, and the gas flow 22 delimited on the outside by the peripheral tubular element 17 are separate from one another in their Controllable strength. A control device 24, which also controls the other functions of the closing device, is used for control.

Durch die beschriebene Vorgehensweise beim Spülen des Fläschchens konnte der Restsauerstoffgehalt im Kopfraumvolumen 5 des Fläschchens 3 auf einen extrem niedrigen Wert von < 0,5 % reduziert werden.As a result of the procedure described when rinsing the vial, it was possible to reduce the residual oxygen content in the headspace volume 5 of the vial 3 to an extremely low value of <0.5%.

Als eine weitere Maßnahme zur Minimierung des Restsauerstoffgehaltes in dem Fläschchen 3 dient eine Zusatzdüsenvorrichtung 26 mit wenigstens einer Zusatzspüldüse 28, welche im Beispielsfall wiederum Inertgas in Richtung zu einem für den noch folgenden Verschließvorgang bereitgehaltenen Verschlusselement in Form eines Stopfens 30 gerichtet ist, so dass das Spülgas in die untere Vertiefung 32 des Stopfens 30 gelangt und dort Luft verdrängen kann.A further measure to minimize the residual oxygen content in the bottle 3 is an additional nozzle device 26 with at least one additional flushing nozzle 28, which in the example in turn is directed towards an inert gas in the direction of a closure element in the form of a stopper 30, which is kept ready for the subsequent closing process, so that the flushing gas enters the lower recess 32 of the plug 30 and can displace air there.

Der Rahmen 34 der Zusatzdüsenvorrichtung 26 ist so gebaut, dass die zu spülenden Bereiche 5, 32 nach außen hin gegen Lufteintritt gut abgeschirmt sind, wenn das Fläschchen 3 und die Düsenvorrichtung 13 in der gezeigten Spülposition sind. Auf diese Weise wird verhindert, dass Luft von außen in kritischen Mengen zu den gespülten Bereichen nachströmen kann.The frame 34 of the additional nozzle device 26 is constructed in such a way that the areas 5, 32 to be rinsed are well shielded from the outside against the ingress of air when the vial 3 and the nozzle device 13 are in the rinsing position shown. In this way, it is prevented that outside air can flow in critical quantities to the flushed areas.

Der Stopfen 30 befindet sich am unteren Ende eines Eindrückstößels 36 als Verschlusselementhalter einer Verschlusselementsetzeinrichtung 38. In der Figur ist der Eindrückstößel 36 in einer zurückgezogenen Passivstellung gezeigt, aus der heraus er in eine vorgeschobene Verschlusselement-Abgabestellung bewegbar ist, um den Stopfen 30 in die Einfüllöffnung 18 des Fläschchens 3 einzudrücken. Bevor dies geschehen kann, muss jedoch erst die Düsenvorrichtung 13 aus dem Weg zwischen dem gezeigten Stopfen 30 und der Einfüllöffnung 18 des Fläschchens 3 herausbewegt werden. Dies erfolgt sehr schnell nach dem Spülvorgang, indem die Düsenvorrichtung seitlich unter Ausnutzung einer zumindest näherungsweise horizontalen Bewegungskomponente in der Figur nach rechts mittels einer betreffenden Antriebsvorrichtung (nicht gezeigt) in eine zurückgezogene Stellung bewegt wird. Nach oder ggf. schon während dieser Rückzugsbewegung der Düsenvorrichtung 13 bewegt eine Antriebseinrichtung der Verschlusselementsetzeinrichtung 38 den Eindrückstößel 36 aus der in der Figur gezeigten zurückgezogenen Passivstellung in eine vorgeschobene Verschlusselement-Abgabestellung, in der er den Stopfen 30 in die Einfüllöffnung 18 des Fläschchens 3 eindrückt. Das Fläschchen 3 ist danach dicht verschlossen und weist einen allenfalls äußerst geringen Restsauerstoffgehalt in seinem Kopfraum 5 auf.The plug 30 is located at the lower end of a push-in plunger 36 as a closure element holder of a closure element setting device 38. In the figure, the push-in plunger 36 is shown in a retracted passive position, from which it can be moved into an advanced closure element dispensing position, around the plug 30 into the filling opening 18 of bottle 3. Before this can happen, however, the nozzle device 13 must first be moved out of the way between the stopper 30 shown and the filling opening 18 of the vial 3. This takes place very quickly after the rinsing process by moving the nozzle device laterally to the right in the figure by means of a relevant component, utilizing an at least approximately horizontal movement component Drive device (not shown) is moved to a retracted position. After or possibly already during this retraction movement of the nozzle device 13, a drive device of the closure element setting device 38 moves the push-in plunger 36 from the withdrawn passive position shown in the figure into an advanced closure element dispensing position, in which it presses the stopper 30 into the filling opening 18 of the vial 3. The bottle 3 is then tightly closed and has an extremely low residual oxygen content in its head space 5.

Anzumerken ist noch, dass die Düsenvorrichtung 13 in ihrer Spülposition schräg zur Einfüllöffnung des in Position zum Verschließen positionierten und zu spülenden Fläschchens 3 orientiert ist. Ferner sei noch angemerkt, dass die Düsenvorrichtung 13 an ihrem Spülgasauslassende relativ zur Rohrelementlängsachse 42 abgeschrägt ist, so dass das Spülgasauslassende 40 in der Spülposition der Düsenvorrichtung 13 zumindest näherungsweise in einer Ebene liegt, die sich parallel zu dem oberen Rand der Einfüllöffnung 18 des Fläschchens 3 erstreckt. Diese Maßnahmen dienen einerseits der Verbesserung des Spüleffektes des Fläschchens 3, andererseits der schnelleren Beweglichkeit der Düsenvorrichtung 13 aus dem Raumbereich zwischen dem Stopfen 30 und der Einfüllöffnung 18.It should also be noted that the nozzle device 13 in its rinsing position is oriented at an angle to the filling opening of the bottle 3 that is positioned in the position for closing and is to be rinsed. It should also be noted that the nozzle device 13 is beveled at its purge gas outlet end relative to the pipe element longitudinal axis 42, so that the purge gas outlet end 40 in the purge position of the nozzle device 13 lies at least approximately in a plane that is parallel to the upper edge of the filling opening 18 of the vial 3 extends. These measures serve, on the one hand, to improve the flushing effect of the vial 3, and, on the other hand, to enable the nozzle device 13 to move more quickly out of the space between the stopper 30 and the filling opening 18.

Claims (11)

  1. Closing device for closing containers (3) which have a filling opening (18), such as bottles, cans, vials, cartridges or ampoules,
    comprising
    - a positioning apparatus (9) for arrangement of a container (3) to be closed into a position for closing,
    - a flushing apparatus (11) with a nozzle device (13) for blowing in flushing gas, in particular inert gas, into a container (3) to be closed though its filling opening (18) prior to closure,
    - a closing element setting apparatus (38) for attachment of a closing element (30) to a container (3) to be closed in a position which closes its filling opening (18) and
    - a control apparatus (24),
    wherein the nozzle device (13) has a central nozzle arrangement (15) and a peripheral nozzle arrangement (17) which surrounds the central nozzle arrangement, wherein the nozzle device (13) and a container (3) to be closed can be positioned relative to one another in a flushing position so that the central nozzle arrangement (15) is aligned at least primarily to its filling opening (18) for the introduction of flushing gas into the container (3) and the peripheral nozzle arrangement (17) aims at a peripheral region of the filling opening (18) so that both the filling opening (18) and also its periphery are exposed to a flushing gas flow (20, 22) if the nozzle device (13) outputs flushing gas, characterised in that the position for closing and the flushing position for a respective container (3) to be flushed and closed correspond to one another and that the nozzle device (13) is movable relative to a container (3) introduced by means of the positioning apparatus (9) into the position for closing between the flushing position and a retracted position, wherein it is positioned in the flushing position with its flushing gas outlet end (40) opposite the filling opening (18) of the container (3) overlapping this.
  2. Closing device according to Claim 1, characterised in that the central nozzle arrangement (15) and the peripheral nozzle arrangement (17) are in each case formed as a tube element, wherein the tube element which forms the central nozzle arrangement (15) is received in particular concentrically in the tube element which forms the peripheral nozzle arrangement (17).
  3. Closing device according to Claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the nozzle device (13) is oriented in the flushing position obliquely with respect to the filling opening (18) of a container (3) positioned in position for closing and to be flushed.
  4. Closing device according to Claim 3, characterised in that the nozzle device (13) is chamfered at its flushing gas outlet end (40) relative to the tube element longitudinal axis (42) so that the flushing gas outlet end (40) lies in the flushing position of the nozzle device (13) at least approximately in a plane which extends parallel to the upper edge of the filling opening (18) of a respective container (3) positioned in position for closing.
  5. Closing device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the closing element setting device (38) has a closing element holder (36) which is movable between a retracted passive position and an advanced closing element output position.
  6. Closing device according to Claim 5, characterised in that it can be controlled by means of the control apparatus (24) so that the movement of the closing element holder (36) out of its retracted passive position into the advanced closing element output position and the movement of the nozzle device (13) out of the flushing position into its retracted position are performed simultaneously at least in regions.
  7. Closing device according to Claim 5 or 6, characterised in that it can be controlled by means of the control apparatus (24) so that the closing element holder (36) is always moved out of its closing element output position if the nozzle device (13) is in the flushing position, wherein the nozzle device (13) is positioned in the flushing position between the filling opening (18) of a respective container (3) positioned in position for closing and the closing element holder (36).
  8. Closing device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the nozzle device (13) is movable at least approximately horizontally between the retracted position and the flushing position, in particular is pivotable in an at least approximately horizontal plane.
  9. Closing device according to Claim 5 and, where applicable, at least one of the remaining preceding claims, characterised by an additional nozzle device (26) with at least one flushing nozzle (28) for outputting flushing gas in the direction of the closing element holder (36) so that the flushing nozzle can blow flushing gas onto a closing element (30) which is provided by the closing element holder (36) for a current closing process.
  10. Closing device according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the flushing gas flow (20) output by the central nozzle arrangement (15) and the flushing gas flow (22) output by the peripheral nozzle arrangement (17) can be controlled separately from one another.
  11. Closing device according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the positioning apparatus is formed for arrangement of a group of containers to be closed into a position for closing,
    - that the closing element setting apparatus is formed to attach closing elements to a corresponding group of containers to be closed in a position which closes the filling openings, and
    - that the nozzle device of the flushing apparatus is provided multiple times with the formation of a group of nozzle devices of the same type.
EP18811714.7A 2017-11-27 2018-11-07 Closure device for adding gas to and closing containers that have a filler opening Active EP3717397B1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
DE102017221193.8A DE102017221193A1 (en) 2017-11-27 2017-11-27 Closing device for gassing and closing of containers having a filling opening
PCT/EP2018/080479 WO2019101525A1 (en) 2017-11-27 2018-11-07 Closure device for adding gas to and closing containers that have a filler opening

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EP3717397A1 EP3717397A1 (en) 2020-10-07
EP3717397B1 true EP3717397B1 (en) 2021-12-08

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US (1) US11414229B2 (en)
EP (1) EP3717397B1 (en)
CN (1) CN111417593B (en)
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WO (1) WO2019101525A1 (en)

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ES2902595T3 (en) 2022-03-29
DE102017221193A1 (en) 2019-05-29
US11414229B2 (en) 2022-08-16
WO2019101525A1 (en) 2019-05-31
US20200277091A1 (en) 2020-09-03
EP3717397A1 (en) 2020-10-07
CN111417593A (en) 2020-07-14
CN111417593B (en) 2022-02-18

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