JP2000128111A - Aseptic parts feeder - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To install a parts feeder to carry an article by oscillating a carrying part by an oscillation part within an isolator. SOLUTION: A stay 42 is extended in an isolator 2 piercing through a bottom surface 44 of the isolator 2, and a base 46 is fitted to its upper end. An oscillation part 48 is provided on the base 46, and a main carrying part 50 is fixed on the oscillation part 48. A base 52 for a straight carrying part is fixed to the base 46, and an oscillation part 54 and a straight carrying part 20 are provided on the base 52. The parts feeder base 46 and the main carrying part 50, the base 52 for the straight carrying part and the straight carrying part 20, and the parts feeder base 46 around the stay 42 and the bottom surface 44 of the isolator 2 are connected to each other through bellows 60, 68, 62, respectively. A connection port 80 is provided in an upper wall surface 78 of the isolator 2, and a lid of an aseptic container connected to a lid of the connection port 80 is connected thereto so as to be integratedly opened.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a parts feeder, and more particularly, to a parts feeder that conveys articles such as rubber stoppers by applying vibration to a conveying section that accommodates the articles.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As a filling system for filling and capping the contents in a container, a container conveyed by a conveyor is supplied to a rotary-type filling machine through a supply wheel, and the contents are filled by the filling machine. The container filled with the goods is delivered to the downstream rotary tapping machine via the intermediate delivery wheel, the cap sent from the parts feeder is taken out by this tapping machine, and the capping is performed. Conventionally, there has been known an apparatus which discharges a sheet onto a carry-out conveyor and conveys it to the next step.

[0003] When filling products such as pharmaceuticals with the above filling system, extremely high hygiene control is required. Therefore, an aseptic filling system that performs filling and capping in an aseptic environment is used. As such an aseptic filling system, there are widely known a clean room system in which the entire room in which the filling facility is disposed is sterilized, and an isolator system in which only the filling facility is isolated in a closed chamber.

[0004] In the clean room system, workers are directly involved in production, so that human contamination cannot be completely eliminated. Therefore, in order to completely maintain only the filling equipment from other environments and maintain a highly sterile environment,
Isolator-type aseptic filling systems that are housed in an isolator called an isolator have come to be used.

[0005]

By the way, as a supply means for supplying a cap to the stopper of the filling system,
If you use a parts feeder that vibrates the transfer unit into which a cap such as a rubber stopper has been put and sequentially sends out the caps, this part feeder has a vibrating part, so it is necessary for itself to generate dust. In addition, there is a problem that the spring of the vibrating body may be corroded by sterilizing gas for sterilizing the inside of the isolator.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and has as its object to provide a sterile parts feeder which enables a parts feeder to be installed without destroying a sterile environment in an isolator. is there.

[0007]

According to the present invention, there is provided a sterile parts feeder according to the present invention, comprising: a chamber surrounding a parts feeder for conveying articles by applying vibration; a sterile air supply means for supplying sterile air into the chamber; Exhaust means for exhausting air inside, the parts feeder, a base provided on a column extending through the bottom of the chamber and extending into the chamber, a vibrating portion provided on the base, A transfer section fixed to the upper surface of the vibrating section, and further, a connection port for transferring articles in an aseptic state is provided in the chamber, and the base and the transfer section are airtight. They are connected by a seal.

[0008]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention will be described below with reference to an embodiment shown in the drawings. FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a sterile parts feeder according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG.
FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line II. FIG. 3 is a plan view showing the entire aseptic filling system including a stoppering machine to which a cap such as a rubber stopper is supplied from the parts feeder. The aseptic filling system shown in FIG. 3 contains a rotary filling machine 4 and a stoppering machine 6 in a sealed aseptic chamber (isolator) 2, and a sterile supply chamber provided outside the aseptic chamber 2. From 8, the containers 12 are continuously carried in by the conveyor 10.

The containers 12 carried into the aseptic chamber 2 are sequentially supplied to the filling machine 4 via the supply wheel 14, and after the medicines and the like are filled therein, the delivery wheel 16 disposed in the middle is supplied to the filling machine 4. It is delivered to the rotary stoppering machine 6 through the connector. A rubber stopper 22 is supplied to the rotary stoppering machine 6 from a parts feeder 18 through a straight traveling path 20, and a vacuum suction head 24 sucks and holds the rubber stopper 22 and moves while rotating. After descending and stoppering the container 12 on the bottle stand (not shown), the vacuum state of the suction head 24 is released and the rubber stopper 22 is released.
2 is discharged onto a discharge conveyor 30 via a discharge wheel 28 and discharged outside the aseptic chamber 2. Although not shown, the aseptic chamber 2 is provided with aseptic air supply means for supplying aseptic air into the chamber 2 and exhaust means for discharging air from the chamber 2.

Next, the parts feeder 18 will be described with reference to FIGS. A column 42 supported upright on the base 40 extends through the bottom surface 44 of the aseptic chamber 2 into the chamber 2, and a parts feeder base 46 is fixed to an upper end of the column 42. A vibrating section 48 is mounted on the parts feeder base 46. Further, a main transport unit 50 to which vibration is applied by the operation of the vibration unit 48 is mounted on the vibration unit 48. When an article such as the rubber stopper 22 is put into the main transport section 50 and is vibrated by the vibrating section 48, the rubber stopper 22 in the main transport section 50 is sequentially fed along a transport path (not shown). Has become.

On the end of the parts feeder base 46, a base 52 for supporting the rectilinear transport section 20 is fixed.
On this base 52, a vibrating section 54 for a straight transport section is placed. Further, on the vibrating section 54 for the rectilinear transport section, the upstream end of the rectilinear transport section 20 is attached. As shown in FIG. 3, the downstream end of the rectilinear transport section 20 extends to the cap supply position B of the rotary stoppering machine 6. When the rubber stopper 22 sent out from the main transfer section 50 moves into the straight transfer section 20, the straight transfer vibration section 5 is moved.
Since vibration is applied to the straight transport section 20 by 4,
It is sequentially conveyed in the direction of the tapping machine 6.

A cover 56 attached to the upper surface of the parts feeder base 46 fixed on the support column 42 and a cover 58 attached to the lower surface of the transport unit 50 and surrounding the outer periphery of the main vibrating unit 48 Bellows (airtight seal)
They are connected by 60. A bellows (airtight seal) 62 connects between the lower surface of the parts feeder base 46 and the periphery of the hole in the bottom surface 44 of the sterile chamber 2 through which the column 42 penetrates. Further, a plate 64 fixed on the base 52 of the rectilinear transport section 20 is provided.
And a cover 66 attached to the lower surface of the rectilinear transport section 20 are connected by bellows (airtight seal) 68.

The lower part of the column 42 to which the parts feeder base 46 is fixed is mounted on the support cylinder 7 fixed on the base 40.
0 is fitted. A vertical groove 4 on the side of the support 42
2a is formed, and the tip of a pin 72 penetrating the wall surface of the support cylinder 70 in the radial direction is engaged in the groove 42a. The support column 42 can move up and down with respect to the support cylinder 70, but the rotation is restricted. It is supposed to be. A screw is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the column 42, and a nut 74 is screwed onto the outer periphery of the column 42 above the support cylinder 70. An operation handle 76 is provided on the nut 74.
By operating the handle 76 and rotating the nut 74, the column 42 can be raised and lowered.

The upper wall surface 78 of the sterile chamber 2 is inclined as shown in FIG. 2, and a rubber stopper 22 is provided in the sterile chamber 2 at a portion of the upper wall surface 78 which is located substantially above the main transfer section 50. A connection port 80 for supplying an article such as the like from the outside is provided. A sterile container 82 in which the rubber stopper 22 is housed and whose inside is sterilized is attached to the connection port 80. A glove 86 for performing operations in the chamber 2 is provided on a vertical side wall 84 of the sterile chamber 2.
An operator inserts a hand into the glove 86 to operate the cover 90 attached to the connection port 80 and other operations.

Next, a configuration for connecting the connection port 80 and the aseptic container 82 and supplying the rubber stopper 22 into the aseptic chamber 2 will be briefly described with reference to FIGS. A lid 90 is attached to the connection port 80 of the aseptic chamber 2, and is normally closed to maintain an aseptic state. Sterile chamber 2
A sterile container 82 for supplying articles such as the rubber stopper 22 therein has a lid 92 attached to an opening 82a to seal the inside. The lid 90 of the sterile chamber 2 and the lid 92 of the sterile container 82 can be connected and integrated, and the external atmosphere of the outer surface of the lid 90 of the sterile chamber 2 and the outer surface of the lid 92 of the sterile container 82 can be separately controlled. The part that was exposed to
When 0 and 92 are connected, it is possible to seal between these two 90 and 92.

The operation of the aseptic parts feeder 1 according to the above configuration will be described. A sterile container 82 in which a sterilized rubber stopper 22 is accommodated and sealed by a lid 92 is brought close to a connection port 80 of an inclined upper wall surface 78 of the sterile chamber 2 (see FIG. 4), and the two 80 and 82 are connected. Connect (see FIG. 5). Next, the operator inserts a hand into the glove 86 to operate the lid 90 of the connection port 80, and
To the lid 92. Then, the lid 9 of the sterile chamber 2
When 0 is removed from the connection port 80, the lid 92 of the sterile container 82 also comes off integrally, and the interior of the sterile chamber 2 and the inside of the sterile container 82 communicate with each other while maintaining the sterile state (see FIG. 6). Then, the rubber stopper 22 housed in the aseptic container 82 falls and is thrown into the main transport unit 50.

The main transport section 50 is vibrated by the vibrating section 48, and the rubber stopper 22 in the main transport section 50 is gradually fed to the outlet side through an internal transport path. The rubber stopper 22 is sent out from the main transport unit 50 and moves to the straight transport unit 20. The rectilinear conveying section 20 is also vibrated by the vibrating section 54 for the rectilinear conveying section, and the rubber stopper 22 in the rectilinear conveying section 20 gradually moves toward the rotary plugging machine 6 (to the left in FIG. 1).
Sent to The tapping machine 6 takes out the rubber stopper 22 and
The container 12 supplied from the filling machine 4 is stoppered via the delivery wheel 16.

In the parts feeder 18, since the vibrating section 48 of the main transport section 50 is covered by the bellows 60 connecting the base 46 and the transport section 50, dust and the like generated by the vibration are removed from the aseptic chamber 2. Does not destroy the sterile atmosphere inside. Further, there is no possibility that the spring of the main vibrating section 48 is corroded by a sterilizing gas when sterilizing the inside of the aseptic chamber 2. Further, since the vibrating portion 54 of the rectilinear transport portion 20 is also covered by the bellows 68 connecting the base 52 and the rectilinear transport portion 20,
There is no contamination of the aseptic environment by dust generated from the vibrating section 54, and there is no possibility that the spring will be corroded. In addition, a vertically movable column 42 supporting the parts feeder 18 extends through the bottom surface 44 of the sterile chamber 2 into the sterile chamber 2, but surrounds the column 42.
Parts feeder base 46 and bottom surface 4 of sterile chamber 2
4 is connected by the bellows 60, so that microorganisms and other contaminants are not introduced from the outside of the sterile chamber 2.

Furthermore, the upper wall surface 78 of the sterile chamber 2
A connection port 80 is provided in the connection port 80, a sterile container 82 is connected to the connection port 80, and a lid 90 of the connection port 80 and a lid 92 of the sterile container 82 are connected to each other to form a portion contaminated by the external atmosphere (the lids 90, 9
Since the inside of the aseptic container 82 and the inside of the aseptic chamber 2 can be communicated while the outer surface 2 is sealed, no external contaminated atmosphere is introduced into the aseptic chamber 2 when the rubber stopper 22 or the like is supplied. Therefore, the parts feeder 18 having the vibrating parts 48 and 54 can be installed in the isolator (sterile chamber) 2 to form a sterile parts feeder.

As described above, according to the present invention, a chamber surrounding a parts feeder that conveys articles by applying vibration thereto, aseptic air supply means for supplying aseptic air into the chamber, and air in the chamber are supplied. An exhaust means for discharging, wherein the parts feeder includes a base provided on a support that penetrates a bottom surface of the chamber, a vibrating unit provided on the base, and a transfer unit fixed to an upper surface of the vibrating unit. In the aseptic parts feeder comprising, the chamber has a connection port for carrying articles in a sterile state, and the base and the transport unit are connected with an airtight seal, so that the aseptic environment in the chamber is reduced. The parts feeder can be installed without breaking to form a sterile parts feeder.

【The invention's effect】 [Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a sterile parts feeder according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along line II-II in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a simplified plan view showing an entire aseptic filling system including the aseptic parts feeder.

FIG. 4 is a view sequentially showing a process of connecting a sterile container for supplying articles into the sterile chamber and a sterile chamber.

5 is a view sequentially showing a process of connecting a sterile container and a sterile chamber for supplying articles into the sterile chamber, and shows the next stage of FIG. 4. FIG.

FIG. 6 is a view sequentially showing a process of connecting a sterile container for supplying articles into the sterile chamber and a sterile chamber, and shows the next stage of FIG. 5;

[Explanation of symbols]

 2 Chamber (sterile chamber) 18 Parts feeder 20 Linear transport section 22 Article (rubber stopper) 42 Post 44 Bottom of chamber 46 Base (Parts feeder base) 48 Vibration section 50 Transport section (main transport section) 52 Base of linear transport section 60 Hermetic seal (bellows) 62 Hermetic seal (bellows) 68 Hermetic seal (bellows) 80 Connection

Claims (3)

[Claims] A chamber that surrounds a parts feeder that conveys articles by applying vibration thereto; a sterile air supply unit that supplies sterile air into the chamber; and an exhaust unit that discharges air from the chamber. The parts feeder is a sterile parts feeder having a base provided on a support extending through the bottom of the chamber, a vibrating part provided on the base, and a transfer part fixed on the upper surface of the vibrating part. A sterile parts feeder, wherein the chamber is provided with a connection port for carrying articles in a sterile state, and the base and the transport section are connected with an airtight seal. 2. The aseptic parts feeder according to claim 1, wherein the column is movable up and down, and a base around the column and the bottom surface of the chamber are connected by an airtight seal. 3. The aseptic parts feeder according to claim 1, wherein a base of the rectilinear transport section is disposed on the base, and the base and the rectilinear transport section are connected with an airtight seal. .