EP3917841A1

EP3917841A1 - Method and device for sterilely enclosing a container

Info

Publication number: EP3917841A1
Application number: EP20700884.8A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Harald Reber; Patrick Schösser; Marcus Schwarze; Wolfgang Emmert
Original assignee: Bausch and Stroebel Maschinenfabrik Ilshofen GmbH and Co KG
Current assignee: Bausch and Stroebel SE and Co KG
Priority date: 2019-01-28
Filing date: 2020-01-14
Publication date: 2021-12-08
Also published as: CN113272226B; WO2020156803A1; DE102019201028A1; US20220097879A1; CN113272226A

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for sterilely enclosing a container (40) by means of at least two caps (52, 54), the method comprising the following steps, preferably in alphabetical order: c) gripping a first region (42) of the container (40), which is already provided with a first cap (52) in the first region (42), by means of first tongs (22) by gripping and clamping the first cap (52); and e) sliding a second cap (54) onto a second region (44) of the container (40), which is not yet provided with one of the caps (52, 54), in such a way that the second cap (54) slips over the first cap (52) and/or is slipped over by the first cap (52) and/or in such a way that the first and the second caps (52, 54) are connected by means of complementary screw threads and/or protrusions/cut-outs (56) and/or engagement elements (56) and/or in such a way that a connection that provides sterile sealing-off from the outside of the caps is or can be formed between the second cap (54) and the first cap (52); and preferably h) connecting the first and the second caps (52, 54) in a sterilely sealing manner, preferably by adhesively bonding a sealing film (58) to the first and the second caps (52, 54) in such a way that the sealing film sterilely seals off an intermediate region and/or gap region between the first and the second caps (52, 54).

Description

Method and device for sterile enclosing a container

description

The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for sterile enclosing a container.

Sterile packaging of containers is particularly necessary in the field of pharmacy, since on the one hand appropriate medications should not be contaminated and on the other hand certain medications can be dangerous if unintentionally contacted.

Vials, syringes or the like are generally used as containers. A mechanical method and a corresponding device would be particularly advantageous in order to enclose a single corresponding container completely and in a sterile manner.

It would be further advantageous if a user can immediately see from the container whether the sterile seal has been maintained since manufacture.

The object of the present invention is therefore to provide a corresponding method and a corresponding device.

The method according to the invention for sterile enclosing a container with at least two caps comprises at least the following steps: c) gripping a first area of the container, which is already provided with a first cap in the first area, with a first pair of tongs by gripping and clamping the first cap; and e) pushing a second cap onto a second area of the container which is not yet provided with one of the caps, so that the second cap abuts the first cap and / or the second cap slips over the first cap and / or the second cap from of the first cap and / or such that the first and the second cap have complementary threads and / or projections

ge / recesses and / or engagement means are connected and / or so that between the second cap and the first cap a sterile sealing connection to the outside of the caps is formed or can be formed, for example by leaving a bridgeable distance between the caps; and preferably h) connecting the first and the second cap in a preferably sterile sealing manner, preferably by sticking a sealing film and / or a label onto the first and the second cap, so that the sealing film and / or the label provide an intermediate and / or or gaps area between the first and second cap seals sterile.

In this case, the intermediate area is to be understood as the area which, when fitted with one cap on the other, lies between the end of one cap and the outer wall of the other cap. The gap area is to be understood as the area between the ends of the cap when no cap is put over the other and possibly even a distance between the ends of the caps remains. The gap area means both the distance that results when the first and second caps are not long enough to come into contact, and the area with a possibly narrow gap when the caps are just abutting or as far as possible the second cap is pushed on. The connection in a preferably sterile sealing manner should preferably be understood to mean that this intermediate and / or gap area is sealed to such an extent that its permeability is almost equal to or equal to the permeability of the cap. is pen material. In addition to gluing sealing film, adhesive materials, swelling materials and / or also thermal treatment and / or treatment with pressure can be considered for this purpose, the latter for example if the cap material of a cap can be brought to this by appropriate heat and / or pressure to connect to the cap material of the other cap or to glue it.

These steps are preferably carried out in accordance with their alphabetical order, and further processing steps can be carried out before, in between or after.

Step h) can also take place spatially separately in a product manufacturing process. So that steps c) and e) are carried out, for example, in a plant / at a production location, the container is then moved to another location - the container provided with the caps may still be suitable and preferably sterile packed for transport - and then is carried out in a further plant / on a further production step h).

It is an advantage of the method according to the invention in general that the number of processing means or processing tools such as pliers that touch both the outside of the container and the outside of the caps is considerably reduced by appropriately matching the shape of the caps to one another and with respect to the container can be.

This is particularly advantageous with regard to the safety of the products, because in the event of incorrect filling with a medication which is dangerous, for example in the event of accidental exposure, residues can remain on the outside of the container. Any processing means or processing tools such as conveyors, tongs, conveyor belts, slides and the like that come into contact both with the outside of the container and with the outside of the caps is thus a source of risk for the transmission of accidentally to the outside of the container dangerous substances reached the outside of the sterile sealing cap. This is also known as the cross-contamination nation.

The reduction in the number of appropriate processing aids or processing tools increases safety for the user of the product.

Through a suitable shape of the caps and simultaneous or later sealing of the area between the caps or the intermediate transition area with, for example, sealing film or a corresponding sealing label, it is also immediately apparent to a user that the preferred sterile seal has been maintained since the position of the animal. Advantageously, the sealing film or the outside of the cap can be provided with corresponding application instructions, date of manufacture or quality and / or degree of contamination prevention.

However, the method according to the invention can also be used in cases in which no sterile sealing takes place after the caps have been put on. This is because there is still the advantage that maximum sterility is ensured at least at the time the caps are put on. So the maintenance of sterility depends only on the subsequent flaming of the container.

However, since these may follow at other production sites / in other machines, the method according to the invention can at least ensure that the containers for this further processing are provided in a sufficiently sterile manner and avoid cross-contamination. Furthermore, the sealing film and / or the label can also be applied for reasons other than indicating that cross-contamination has been avoided, for example product information, security features or the like can be applied to it. For example, to show the user a certain manufacturing standard or to make it difficult to counterfeit products. However, this can of course also be combined with the fact that the sealing sequence and / or the label simultaneously indicate that cross contamination was avoided during filling.

Such properties can be recognized by a user in particular by whether the sealing film and / or the label are undamaged.

The choice of whether the caps should overlap, should be pushed open until they meet, or whether there is a distance between the ends of the caps essentially depends on how large the corresponding tolerance ranges have to be based on the expected deviations / inaccuracies in cap size / shape, container size / shape and / or pliers shape / movement.

The most advantageous is usually a configuration in which there is a small distance between the two ends of the caps.

The method according to the invention preferably further comprises one or more of the steps: a) lifting the container from a first conveying means by means of lifting tongs which do not grip and / or clamp the container in the first area, the lifting tongs preferably gripping the container in the second area and / or stuck; b) pushing the first cap onto the first area; c) releasing the lifting tongs from the container and preferably removing the lifting tongs from the container; f) gripping the second region of the container with a second pair of pliers by gripping and clamping the second cap; i) depositing the container on a second conveyor; and / or x) moving the container by means of one of the tongs gripping and / or clamping tongs along a process path and / or to / from the first conveying means, the second conveying means, a first cap placement station and / or a second cap placement station as an intermediate step between two other steps.

These steps preferably take place together with the aforementioned steps of the method according to the invention in alphabetical order, apart from step x), which can be carried out several times and in particular in each case between two other successive corresponding steps.

This advantageous further development allows a further reduction in the number of processing means / tools that touch both the outside of the container and the outside of one of the caps.

In an advantageous development of the method it is provided that none of the lifting tongs, first tongs, second tongs, first conveying means and / or second conveying means has contact with both an outside of the container and an outside of a cap in the course of the method.

The risk of cross-contamination of the outside of the sterile enclosure of the container with the filler or avoid the medication or the ingredient in the container almost completely.

This is particularly preferably achieved by carrying out all of the aforementioned steps in alphabetical order, except for the corresponding step x). This is one way to ensure that no tool / tool comes into contact with both the outside of the container and the outside of the surrounding caps.

It should be emphasized that the first funding, second funding, lifting tongs, first tongs and second tongs do not necessarily have to be physically completely separate objects. For example, it is sufficient overall to have a total funding, a first section of which corresponds to the first funding that comes into contact with the outside of the container, while a second section of the total funding corresponds to the second funding that only comes into contact with the outside of the Caps coming.

Correspondingly, in one embodiment the lifting tongs, the first tongs and / or the second tongs can be part of the same transport rake comprising several tongs and / or in other embodiments the lifting tongs, the first tongs and / or the second tongs can be part of different ones Be a transport rake.

In this case, it is essentially only to be ensured that corresponding sections of a transport rake with tongs that correspond to the lifting tongs are only used as lifting tongs in the sense of the method and only come into contact with the outside of the containers and not with the caps.

The same applies to the first and second pliers, namely that corresponding sections of a transport rake and / or the same transport rake are included Pliers that correspond to the first or second pliers are only used as first or second pliers in the sense of the method and do not come into contact with the outside of the container and only come into contact with the caps.

In a preferred embodiment, a first transport rake is used for the method, which includes lifting tongs in a first area and includes second tongs in a second area. This first transport rake extends along one side of a total conveying means. On the opposite side preferably extends a second transport rake, which generally comprises only half as many tongs, the tongs of which serve as the first tongs.

The transport rakes can also provide the propulsion along the conveying means, with the corresponding transfer from the lifting tongs to the first tongs of the opposite or second transport rakes, the containers are transported further by clamping the caps along the conveying direction, so that the second tongs accordingly of the first transport rake can clamp the container or the outside of the caps in the corresponding step.

Accordingly, it is preferred to provide lifting tongs, first tongs and / or second tongs for the method according to the invention in the plurality in order to process several containers simultaneously according to any variant of the method according to the invention. The same applies accordingly to the first and second funding.

The lifting tongs, the first tongs, the second tongs and / or a transport rake comprising the lifting tongs, the first tongs and / or the second tongs are preferably rotated away from the container before and / or after gripping / clamping the container and / or a cap. This can be technically advantageous when implementing a specific machine be lateral movement, in particular if the turning away about an axis is parallel to a direction of longitudinal extension of the first conveying means, the second conveying means and / or the transport rake (s).

Transport rakes, lifting tongs, first tongs and / or second tongs are preferably movable along the conveying means.

The lifting tongs, the first tongs and / or the second tongs are preferably each formed by two jaws movable relative to one another, between which the container or the caps can be clamped.

The first and / or the second conveying means, a conveyor belt, a combination of a transport surface and transport slides, transport rakes and / or a transport container, for example a tub or a nest, are preferred.

The container is preferably a vial, a syringe or a similar container that can be used for medical products.

The first and / or the second cap are preferably designed as a cylinder which is open on one side and preferably circular or rectangular with a diameter larger than a largest diameter of the container or in the first or in the second region.

This makes it easy to push onto the container, provided that the basic shape or base area of the cylinder is selected to match the size or outside of the container that occurs in a push-on direction.

The variant with cylinders open on one side is preferred, because then only the first and second cap have to be pushed on, if necessary, an intermediate area has to be sealed and the container is completely of the enclosed two caps and because of the sealed or isolating sealing connection between the two, the container is packaged in a sufficiently sterile manner. This variant is particularly preferred since most of the corresponding loading containers are of such a simple shape that caps can simply be pushed onto a container from two directions.

In the case of more complex or considerably larger containers, however, an advantageous variant of the method according to the invention provides that only the first cap is designed as a cylinder that is open on one side and the second cap as a cylinder that is open on both sides the steps include: ey) pushing a further cap designed as a cylinder open on one or both sides onto a further area of the container which has not yet been provided with a cap, so that the further cap slips on the cap which was pushed on last and / or is slipped over by this cap and / or so that the further cap and the last cap pushed on previously via complementary threads and / or projections

ge / recesses and / or engagement means are connected and / or so that a sterile sealing connection to the outside of the caps is formed or can be formed between the further cap and the last previously pushed on cap, for example by a bridgeable distance between the caps remains; and hy) connecting the others and the ones previously deferred

Caps in a sterile sealing manner, preferably by sticking a sealing film onto the other and the last one previously pushed on, so that the sealing film provides an intermediate and / or the gap area between the further cap and the cap which was pushed on last as a sterile seal, steps ey) and hy) preferably being carried out repeatedly after step h), at least one step ey) pushing on a cap designed as a cylinder open on one side includes before the last executed step ey).

In this development of the method according to the invention it is thus easily seen that the first cap is exposed as a cylinder open on one side at one end of a container and then second and further caps, which are designed as cylinders open on both sides, are pushed onto the container until the container is so is adequately covered with caps that a last cap, which is also formed as a cylinder that is only open on one side, can be pushed on and then the container is surrounded or enclosed by caps, if necessary, except for intermediate and / or gap areas that are still to be closed.

Corresponding pliers can be used between steps ey) and eh) according to step f) mentioned above. Alternatively, however, the first and second pliers can also be designed such that they alternately clamp the successively placed further caps and move the container accordingly so that further caps can be pushed on.

In this way, even larger and / or more complex structured containers can be completely sealed with appropriate caps, whereby it is ensured in each case that no processing means / processing tool comes into contact with both the outside of the container and the outside of a cap.

The first, the second and / or further caps and / or the sealing film preferably comprise a plastic material and / or another easily moldable Material and / or walls which or which meet the sterility requirements of the sterility requirements of medical products contained or filled in the container.

A device according to the invention can be designed according to the technical features described above with regard to the method.

With regard to the device according to the invention, a configuration is particularly possible that does not include any means for carrying out step h). Because in appropriate systems for filling pharmaceutical products, labeling / sealing / packaging stations are often located in other systems / machines than the filling itself.

Accordingly, it is a variant to equip a device according to the invention without means for carrying out step h).

The avoidance of cross-contamination and provision of a sterile product provided with cap pen is still an advantageous property of the machine according to the invention, even if a user of the machine uses it in a system chain, in which, for example, the subsequent labeling or transport of the capped containers there is less sterile and / or does not completely avoid cross-contamination.

An advantage of an embodiment of the method according to the invention or the device / machine according to the invention without step h) or without means for this is also that the method according to the invention can then be used flexibly with regard to applications in which high importance is attached to sterility and avoidance of cross-contamination in Reference is made to the application of the label / sealing film, as well as with regard to application conditions where this is of minor importance. It is then not necessary to provide different devices for both cases.

A device according to the invention for performing a method according to the invention preferably comprises

- At least one first cap placement station for pushing a first cap onto a container;

- At least a first pair of pliers for gripping the container after pushing on the first cap by clamping the first cap pushed onto the container; and

- At least one second cap placement station for pushing a second cap onto the container which is preferably fed with the first pliers or alternatively the first cap placement station is also laid out for pushing the second cap onto the container which is preferably handled with the first pliers; and preferred

- At least one sealing device for the sterile sealing connection of the first and second cap or alternatively the first and / or the second cap fitting station are also designed for such a sterile sealing connection of the first and second cap.

The device according to the invention preferably further comprises:

- At least a first funding for transporting the container;

- At least one lifting tongs suitable for lifting the container from the conveying means and / or for feeding to the first cap placement station; - At least a second pair of pliers for gripping the container after pushing on the second cap by clamping the second cap pushed onto the container; and or

- At least one second conveyor for further transport of the before supplied by the second pliers and with at least the first and the second cap coated container.

As already described with regard to the method, a device according to the invention can preferably also be designed such that several lifting clamps, first clamps or second clamps comprising transport rakes are provided in each case. A transport rake comprising lifting tongs and second tongs is particularly suitable and a further transport rake opposite to be provided on the other side of a conveyor which comprises the first tongs.

Both with regard to the method according to the invention and with regard to the device according to the invention, the first cap, second cap and / or further caps are preferably not rigid. So in particular elastic and / or resilient to the extent that the caps give way to the clamping so far that the inside of the caps contacts the container at some points and thus the clamping force is transmitted to the container via the cap.

Several embodiments or exemplary embodiments of the present invention are explained below with reference to the accompanying figures, the figures showing:

Figures 1 .1 -1 .15 show the implementation of a first embodiment of the method according to the invention using a device according to the invention in each case in a schematic view in the direction of view along the conveyor; and FIGS. 2.1 and 2.2 show the steps corresponding to FIGS. 1.8 and 1.10 of a second embodiment of the method according to the invention using the same device according to the invention as in FIGS. 1.1-1.15, but using different caps.

Figure 1 .1 shows the situation at the beginning of an embodiment of the inventive method using an embodiment of the inventive device.

The container (40) has been brought to the working area of the lifting tongs (14) by means of a first conveying means (10), which is part of the device according to the invention, but can also be separate therefrom. The lifting tongs (14) are aligned with their mutually movable jaws (16, 18) on a second region (44) of the container (40).

1.2, the jaws (16, 18) of the lifting tongs (14) were moved apart, pushed around the first cap, moved together and now clamp the second area (44) of the container (40).

1.3, the container (40) was raised by means of the lifting tongs (14) and removed from the first conveying means (10). 1 .3 shows how the first cap (52) is lowered from the top of FIG. 1 .3 onto the first region (42) of the container (40) located at the top.

For example, the cap (52) can be held on the tube (60) by means of a negative pressure during the lowering process. Towards FIG. 1.4, the lowering process has ended, the suppression has ended, and the cap (52) thus remains on the now covered first area (42) of the container (40). The cap (52) is dimensioned and the attachment point of the lifting tongs (14) is selected so that there is no contact between the first cap pe (52) and the lifting tongs (14) and their jaws (16, 18).

Figures 1.5 and 1.6 show how the first pliers (22) are brought up and the first cap (52) with the help of their similar to the jaws (16, 18) of the lifting tongs (14) constructed jaws. As a result, the first pliers (22) now clamp the container (40), and only by contacting the cap (52) and without contact with the actual body of the container (40).

FIGS. 1.7 and 1.8 show how the lifting tongs (14) are subsequently removed from the container (40) and how the container (40) is moved with the aid of the first tongs (22) relative to the first conveyor means (10), which is designed, for example, as a conveyor belt, so that in a similar way as before, the first cap (52) was fed from above with the help of the tube (62), the second cap (54) from below to the container (40) and directed towards the second area (44 ) can be introduced.

The cap (54) has an engagement means (56) on the outside, which can interact with a complementary engagement means on the inside or on the inner circumference of the cap (52). As indicated here, the engagement means (56) can be, for example, an annular projection.

Since the diameter of the second cap (54) is slightly smaller than the diameter of the first cap (52), the second cap (54) is slipped over by the first cap (52) and the engagement means (56) engage in one another.

Then, as shown in FIG. 1.9, the second pliers (24) are brought up to clamp the second cap (54), as a result of which the container (40), which is now completely covered by the two caps (52, 54), is moved by the second pliers (24) can be held. The setting tube (62) is now moved down.

Then, as shown in FIG. 1.10, the first pliers (22) are removed from the cap (52) and moved away.

FIG. 1.11 shows how the sealing film (58) is now pushed over the first cap (52) from above with the aid of the setting ring (59) until the state shown in FIG. 1.12 is reached that the sealing film (58) exactly the over Corridor area or gap area between the first cap (52) and the second cap (54) covered.

In this state, the sealing film (58) is pressed onto the two caps (52, 54) with the aid of the setting ring (59) and glued to them in a sterile, sealing manner, for example by heat.

Alternatively, the sealing film or a label can also be applied to the gap area by unrolling. Both a movement of a corresponding rolling device around the container and a rotation of the container and / or a combination of both is conceivable for this.

If the container is to be rotated, it may have to be moved onto a turntable or the like using the second pair of pliers.

The application of the sealing film can also be omitted at this point and the provision of means for this, such as the setting ring (59) or unrolling devices, can be dispensed with. The sealing film can, for example, also be applied subsequently using another machine.

As a result, the container (40) is completely sterile sealed and isolated from its surroundings. In FIGS. 1.13 to 1.15 it is now shown how the setting ring (59) is moved up again and with the aid of the second pliers (24) the completely covered container (40) in a second conveying means (12), here for example a trough of a nest that is set down.

In the course of the entire process, no processing tool or processing means contacted both the container (40) and one of the caps (52, 54). Furthermore, none of the machining means or tools that contacted the container (40) came into contact with one of the machining means / machining tools that contacted one of the caps (52, 54).

This virtually eliminates cross-contamination, and a user can see from the undamaged sealing film that there is a high probability that none of the filled material is on the outside of the caps (52, 54).

In the exemplary embodiment shown, the caps are dimensioned such that they are slipped on. In other embodiments, however, the caps can also be dimensioned such that they have an almost identical diameter and the two ends of the caps come into contact or there is a certain distance between the cap ends after the attachment, which is then bridged, for example, by the sealing film.

Since this only requires a different dimensioning of the caps, this can be combined with all the features mentioned for the exemplary embodiment explained.

FIGS. 2.1 and 2.2 show such a case of using caps 52, 54 of different dimensions, with the caps also shown in FIGS. showed machine. Figure 2.1 corresponds to Figure 1.8 and Figure 2.2 corresponds to Figure 1.10.

As can be seen, the first cap 52 is of the same design, but the second cap 54 is of less length and has a diameter similar to that of the first.

As a result, there is no offset between the walls of the caps 52, 54, but a certain intermediate area 100 remains between the caps 52, 54 after being placed on them.

By means of an appropriately dimensioned sealing film 58, this can be bridged and closed.

Since there is no overlap, no engagement means 56 are provided on the outside or inside of the caps 52, 54.

It is also possible to use a somewhat longer second cap 54, as in FIGS. 2.1 and 2.2, so that the caps 52, 54 are put on abutment, that is to say they just collide or contact each other when they are put on. Then the intermediate region 100 is a narrow gap or has an expansion of almost zero.

It is also possible to match the lower end of the first cap 52 and the upper end of the second cap 54 so that they can be closed, locked and / or connected to one another when or after the second cap 54 is put on.

In addition to complementary engagement means 56 on the underside or top of the caps 52, 54, a choice of material is also possible, so that the caps 52, 54 are already connected in the contact area by pressure and / or flashing, preferably in a sterile sealing manner.

Claims

Expectations

1 . A method for sterile enclosing a container (40) with at least two caps (52, 54), the method comprising the steps, preferably in alphabetical order: c) gripping a first area (42) of the container (40), the is already provided with a first cap (52) in the first region (42), with a first pair of pliers (22) by gripping and clamping the first cap (52); and

e) pushing a second cap (54) onto a second loading area (44) of the container (40), which is not yet provided with one of the caps (52, 54), so that the second cap abuts the first cap and / or the second cap (54) slips on the first cap (52) and / or is slipped on by the first cap (52) and / or so that the first and the second cap (52, 54) have complementary threads and / or projections

ge / recesses (56) and / or engagement means (56) are connected and / or so that between the second cap (54) and the first cap (52) a sterile sealing connection to the outside of the caps is formed or can be formed, preferably by leaving a gap that can be bridged between the caps.

2. The method of claim 1, the method further comprising the step of:

h) connecting the first and the second cap (52, 54) in a preferably sterile sealing manner, preferably by sticking a sealing film (58) onto the first and the second cap (52, 54), so that the sealing film provides an intermediate - and / or gap area between the first and second cap (52, 54) seals sterile.

3. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the method further comprises one or more of the steps, preferably see from step x) in alphabetical order with the steps of claim 1 and / or 2:

a) lifting the container (40) from a first conveying means (10) by means of lifting tongs (14) which does not grip and / or clamp the container (40) in the first region (42), the lifting tongs (14) holding the container ( 40) preferably engages and / or clamps in the second region (44);

b) pushing the first cap (52) onto the first area (42); d) releasing the lifting tongs (14) from the container (40) and preferably removing the lifting tongs (14) from the container (40);

f) gripping the second region (44) of the container (40) with a second pair of pliers (24) by gripping and clamping the second cap (54); i) depositing the container (40) on a second conveyor (12); and or

x) Moving the container (40) by means of one of the container (40) gripping and / or clamping tongs (14, 22, 24) along a process path and / or to / from the first conveying means (10), the second conveying means (14), a first cap placement station and / or a second cap placement station as an intermediate step between two other steps.

4. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein none of lifting tongs (14), first tongs (22), second tongs (24), first För dermittel (10) and / or second funding (12) in the course of the method with both Container (40), in particular with an outer side of the container (40), and also with a cap, in particular an outer side of a cap (52, 54), has contact.

5. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the lifting tongs (14), the first tongs (22) and / or the second tongs (24) are part of the same transport rake comprising several tongs and / or wherein the lifting tongs (14), the first pliers (22) and / or the second pliers (24) are part of different transport rakes.

6. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the lifting tong (14), the first tong (22), the second tong (24) and / or the lifting tong (14), the first tong (22) and / or second pliers (24) for gripping transport rakes before and / or after gripping / clamping the container (40) and / or one of the caps (52, 54) is rotated away from the container (40), preferably around an axis parallel to one Longer direction of extension of the first conveyor (10), the second conveyor (12) and / or the transport rake.

7. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the lifting tongs (14), the first tongs (22) and / or the second tongs (24) are formed by two relatively movable jaws (16, 18) between those of the container (40) can be clamped.

8. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the first and / or the second conveyor (10, 12) is a conveyor belt (10), a combination of a transport surface and transport rail

bern / transport rake and / or a transport container (12), for example a tub or a nest (12), and / or wherein the container (40) is a vial, a syringe or a similar container that can be used for medical products.

9. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the first and / or the second cap (52, 54) are designed as one-sided open and preferably circular or rectangular cylinder with a diameter larger than a largest diameter of the container (40) respectively in the first and second area (42, 44).

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein only the first cap (52) is designed as a cylinder open on one side and the second cap as open on both sides. ner cylinder, the method further comprising the steps preferably after step h) repeats:

ey) pushing on a further one-sided or open-sided Zy cylinder formed cap on a further area of the container (40), which is not yet provided with a cap (52, 54), so that the further cap is the last to be pushed open cap slipped over and / or slipped over by this cap and / or so that the further cap and the last cap pushed on last are connected via complementary threads and / or projections / recesses and / or engagement means and / or so that between the further cap and the as the last cap which has been pushed on beforehand, a connection which is sterile-sealing to the outside of the caps is formed or can be formed, preferably by a gap which can be bridged remains between the caps; and

hy) connecting the further and the last pushed-on caps in a sterile sealing manner, preferably by sticking a sealing film (58) onto the further and the last pushed-on cap, so that the sealing film (58) provides an intermediate and / or gently seals the gap area between the further cap and the cap that was pushed on last,

wherein at least one step ey) comprises pushing on a cap designed as a cylinder open on one side, preferably the last step ey) carried out.

11. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the first, the second and / or further caps (52, 54) and / or the sealing film (56) comprise a plastic material, another material and / or walls, which or which the permeability sterility requirements of medical products contained in the container (40) meet.

12. An apparatus for performing a method according to one of the preceding claims, comprising: at least one first cap placement station for pushing a first cap (52) onto a container (40); at least a first pair of pliers (22) for gripping the container (40) after the first cap has been pushed open by clamping the first cap (52) pushed onto the container (40); and at least a second cap placement station for pushing on a second cap (54) onto the container which is preferably supplied with the first pliers (22) or for pushing the second cap (54) onto the one which is preferably handled with the first pliers (22) Container (40) suitable first cap placement device.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 further comprising:

at least one sealing device for the sterile sealing connection of the first and second cap (52, 54) or the first and / or second cap placement station suitable for the sterile sealing of connecting the first and second cap (52, 54);

at least a first conveyor (10) for transporting the container (40); at least one lifting tongs (14) suitable for lifting the container (40) from the conveying means and / or for feeding to the first cap placement station;

at least one second pair of pliers (24) for gripping the container (40) after the second cap (54) has been pushed open by clamping the second cap (54) pushed onto the container (40); and or

at least one second conveying means (12) for the further transport of the container (40), which is preferably supplied by the second pliers (24) and covered with at least the first and the second cap (52, 54).