GB2403196A

GB2403196A - Rotary conveyor with guides and central aperture

Info

Publication number: GB2403196A
Application number: GB0410981A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Otto Ziegler; Gert Schwarz
Original assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
Current assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
Priority date: 2003-05-19
Filing date: 2004-05-17
Publication date: 2004-12-29
Anticipated expiration: 2024-05-17
Also published as: DE10322475B4; JP2004345857A; GB2403196B; ITMI20040922A1; GB0410981D0; DE10322475A1

Abstract

A conveying device for marshalling containers comprises a table 10 rotatable about a vertical axis, the containers 1 being disposed on an upper surface of the table. Guides 14, 19, 20, 22, 27 for directing the containers are disposed on the surface, and drive apparatus is included for rotating the table. An opening is disposed in a substantially central area of the table. The drive apparatus may be arranged beneath the upper surface, and may interact with the table via a gear ring. The gear ring may be attached to the underside of the upper surface, the upper surface being formed by an annular disc. The upper surface may include a series of concentric or spiral grooves.

Description

24031 96 Device for buffering and marshalling pharma eutical containers

Prior Art

The invention relates to a device for buffering and marshalling pharmaceutical containers according to the precharacterising clause of claim 1.

The systems used in the pharmaceutical industry for cleaning, filling and closing pharmaceutical containers, such as ampoules or vials comprise conveying systems for conveying the containers between the individual stations and within the individual stations. Such systems have both areas of continuous conveyance (for example in the area where the containers are sterilized) and areas in which the containers are conveyed in cyclic manner (e.g. in the area of filling stations). To manage the various conveying functions in the systems, "rotary tables" are used, inter alla, which marshal the containers, which are fed en masse to the rotary table on one side thereof, into a row, such that said containers may be transferred in orderly manner to a subsequent conveying means.

In order to be able to fulfil the stringent requirements relating to the sterility of the pharmaceuticals to be packaged or the containers therefor, the known systems are either accommodated in large clean rooms, or more and more frequently are constructed in the manner of "isolator technology". A characteristic feature of the latter isolator technology systems is that a microbe-reduced air stream (so-called "laminar flow") is generated within the isolator housing which flows around the containers from top to bottom. With laminar flow, it is important on the one hand to generate a precisely guided air stream with defined feed and exhaust stream and on the other hand to prevent the air stream from being disturbed by turbulence, i.e. from becoming turbulent.

In order to generate the best possible flow around a rotary table and drawing off of the air stream, a generic device is already known, the central area of whose rotary table is provided in part with openings. In this way, the air stream impinging on the rotary table and the containers from above may flow both outwards and inwards. However, in order to be able to drive the known rotary table, the central area thereof is not fully occupied by the opening, but rather takes the form of a spoked wheel. Drive of the rotary table takes place via the shaft of the spoked wheel. A disadvantage of the known rotary table is that turbulence may arise during rotation of the rotary table because the central area is not fully occupied by the opening and because of the spokes, so preventing optimum exhaustion of the air and generating turbulence.

Advantages of the invention In contrast, the device according to the invention for buffering and marshalling pharmaceutical containers having the characterizing features of claim 1 has the advantage that optimum exhaustion or outflow of the air stream may take place simultaneously in an inward and outward direction in the area of the rotary table, at the same time avoiding turbulence.

Advantageous further developments of the device according to the invention for buffering and marshalling pharmaceutical containers are indicated in the subclaims.

In order to optimise air exhaustion, it is advantageous to arrange the drive of the rotary table in alignment with the standing area for the containers, whereby a very compact construction may at the same time be achieved.

An advantageous mechanical construction of the drive of the rotary table may be achieved if the table is provided with a gear ring, which interacts with the drive.

Drawings An exemplary embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the drawings and explained in more detail below.

In the drawings: Figure 1 shows a rotary table according to the invention in a simplified perspective representation and Figure 2 shows a longitudinal section through a rotary table modified in the area of an edge delimiter.

Description of an exemplary embodiment

Figure 1 shows the upper part of a rotary table 10, as used for buffering and marshalling pharmaceutical containers 1, in particular within a device constructed according to so called isolator technology. The rotary table 10 is continuously rotatable in an anticlockwise direction (arrow 12) about a vertically disposed axis of rotation 11.

At the circumference thereof, the rotary table 10 comprises a first guide in the form of an edge delimiter 14. The edge delimiter 14 constructed in the form of an edgewise plastics guide is attached to the rotary table 10 by means of stud bolts 15, according to Figure 1, or, if the edge delimiter 15 consists of a sheet metal band according to Figure 2, by means of sheet metal strips 18. Between the top of the rotary table 10, which takes the form of a standing area 16 for the containers 1, and the edge delimiter 14, there is formed a slot 17 which is continuous except in the area of the stud bolts 15 or the sheet metal strips 18. The edge delimiter 14 does not surround the entire outer circumference of the rotary table 10, but rather interacts with a second guide in the form of mouldings 19, 20 consisting of plastics material. A narrow channel 21 is formed by the two mouldings 19, 20, the width of which is somewhat larger than the diameter of the containers 1.

Above the standing area 16 there is arranged as third guide a springloaded swing arm 22, which arranges the containers 1 fed en masse to the rotary table 10 in a feed area 23 thereof in a row along the edge delimiter 14 upon rotation of the rotary table 10 about its axis of rotation 11.

In order to optimise frictional conditions between the container bottoms and the standing area 16 of the rotary table 10, the standing area 16 comprises a grooved, record-like structure 24 (Figure 2).

An above-described rotary table 10, which arranges the containers 1 fed in orderly manner to the rotary table 10 in a row and feeds them via the channel 21 to a downstream conveying device is to this extent already known.

According to the invention, provision is made for a circular opening 26 to be provided concentrically to the axis of rotation 11 of the rotary table 10. For the sake of safety, a third guide in the form of an inner edge delimiter 27 is provided in the area of the opening 26, which guide is connected to the rotary table 10 by means of narrow sheet metal strips 28 and forms a slot 29 between the standing area 16 and the edge delimiter 27, except in the area of the sheet metal strips 28.

The space formed by the opening 26 has only a portion 30 of the swing arm 22 projecting into it.

As is clearer from Figure 2, the rotary table 10 comprises a so-called faceplate 32. The above-mentioned opening 26 is formed in the faceplate 32. A gear ring 33 is attached to the bottom of the faceplate 32 opposite the standing area 16. At its outer circumference, the gear ring 33 has a prism-shaped guide 34, which interacts with three guide rollers 35 arranged at uniform angular distances from one another, only one of which guide rollers 35 is visible in Figure 2. The guide rollers 35 are attached to a base plate 36, which is arranged in alignment with the faceplate 32. The gear ring 33 is connected via the inner circumference thereof with the drive pinion of a drive motor 37, which serves to drive the rotary table 10. The gear ring 33 thus serves both in driving the rotary table 10 or the faceplate 32 and in mounting thereof.

The drive motor 37 is so arranged that it is covered in plan view by the faceplate 32 and also does not project externally of the base plate 36. The base plate 36 likewise comprises an opening 38, which is arranged concentrically to the opening 26 in the faceplate 32 and exhibits the same diameter. The two openings 26, 38 thus form an inner wall 39 of the rotary table 10 which is at least virtually gap-free.

As illustrated in Figure 2, the rotary table 10 is acted on by a laminar air stream, which the flow arrow 41 is intended to indicate. Outflow or exhaustion of this air stream is effected both towards the outer circumference of the rotary table 10 and inwards into the area of the two openings 26, 38 (flow arrows 42, 43). By dividing up the out-flowing air in this way, the air stream is very uniform or laminar, wherein the air flows through the slots 17 and 29 between the standing area 16 and the edge delimiters 14 and 27. In addition, turbulence in the area of the openings 26, 38 is avoided as a result of the integrally disposed drive motor 37.

Claims

Claims 1. A device for buffering and marshalling pharmaceutical containers

(1), having a table (10) rotatable about a vertically arranged axis (11), on the standing area (16) of which table (10) the containers (1) are arranged, having guide means (14, 19, 20, 22, 26) for guiding and directing the containers (1) during rotation of the table (10) and having a drive (37) for the table (10), characterized in that the table (10) comprises a completely free central area in the form of an opening (26) at least in the area of the level of the standing area (16) of the containers (1).
2. A device according to claim 1, characterized in that the drive (37) of the table (10) is arranged beneath the standing area (16) and is covered by the annular standing area (16).
3. A device according to claim 2, characterized in that the drive (37) interacts with the table (10) via a gear ring (33).
4. A device according to claim 3, characterized in that the table (10) has a disk (32) serving as standing area (16) for the containers (1), to the underside of which disk, opposite to the containers (1), the gear ring (33) is attached as a separate component.
5. A device according to claim 3 or claim 4, characterized in that the gear ring (33) comprises at least one guide (34) on the opposite side from the drive (37), which guide (34) is attached to a base plate (36).
6. A device according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the opening (26) continues beneath the standing area (16) and forms a substantially gap-free inner wall (39).
7. A device according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the standing area (16) comprises a grooved, record-like structure (24).
8. A device for buffering and marshalling pharmaceutical containers substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.