MXPA96003727A - Appliance to fill esteri bottles - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to an apparatus for filling containers in a substantially sterile environment, characterized in that it comprises: elongated structural means, vertical wall means carried by the elongated structural means, and extending over a substantial portion of its length, the means vertical wall divide the apparatus into an elongated sterile zone and an elongated non-sterile zone, placed in adjacent relation, elongated closure means carried by the elongated structural means, and cooperating with the vertical wall means to define the elongated sterile zone; a plurality of operating stations including each operating means placed in substantially linear relationship over the length of the elongated sterile zone, a given operation being performed with respect to the containers by means of operation in each operating station by means of associated operations, the conveyor means of containers, elongate, placed within the elongated sterile zone for transporting containers through the plurality of operating stations, the plurality of operating means comprising: (a) a first container transfer means for transferring empty containers from a point outside from the elongated sterile zone to the conveyor means, the container filling means, the means for closing the filled containers, wherein the container filling means and the means for closing the filled containers are included within the sterile zone; ) the second container transfer means, for transferring filled containers from the elongated conveyor means to a point outside the elongated sterile zone, the actuating means for the elongated conveyor means, and for each of the operation means, each of the drive means is positioned within the non-sterile zone, and the connection means to connect in an operative manner. each of the drive means, with its associated operating means

Description

í ' ? APPARATUS FOR FILLING STERILE BOTTLES BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The invention is broadly related to the apparatus for filling containers, and is specifically directed to an improved apparatus for rapidly filling containers in a sterile environment. Many pharmaceutical preparations produced by the pharmaceutical industry are supplied in relatively small containers. "Among these are drugs and injectable drugs which, due to the nature of their use, must be supplied with a high level of assurance of sterility. techniques and devices developed to maintain this high level of sterility. To limit pollution, the current device ,.-'- to fill containers, which tend to be very large, is placed in an environment of a clean room with operators of the apparatus that require wearing sterile clothing, including gowns, gloves, cap or cap, face masks and the like. The sterile or clean room itself should be kept at a low level of contamination, with conventional precautions taken as the operating personnel enter, observe and make the REF: 229 ^ 5 adjustments to the equipment, and exit. The appliance itself must be periodically sterilized by steam cleaning and / or washing with liquid decontaminating cleansers. Keeping the container filling device and the room clean with a low level of contamination is difficult, time consuming and expensive. This is particularly true with respect to the filling apparatus itself. A typical filling machine includes a number of operating stations; for example, a container accumulator that supplies empty containers (usually pre-sterilized) onto a long container conveyor in sequential order through the use of a container transfer mechanism, a weighing station to check the pre-fill, a station of filling consisting of a series of dispensing nozzles, each of which is connected to a precision metering pump with an associated control apparatus, a station to check the weight after filling, a closing or plugging mechanism (if required for the configuration of the particular container) that includes the appropriate cap feeder apparatus, and an ejector and outfeed station, which transfers the filled and sealed containers to an exit side transportation system. Each component of the container packaging must be maintained in a sterile condition throughout each of these operations. Conversely, contamination of any single component can cause the finished package to become contaminated and unusable. The main source of contamination in a clean room environment is the individuals within the room who operate and / or periodically check the filler apparatus. The air inside the room is brought to a high speed through special filters that eliminate virtually all contaminants. Any liquids brought into the room, such as cleaners and / or the pharmaceutical itself, are filtered through high quality filters that again remove virtually all contaminants. Pollution is considered as any foreign element for the pharmaceutical product itself. This includes not only live microorganisms that are removed through filtration, steam sterilization, chemical sterilizers or other techniques, but also any particulate material that can enter the product container, including particles carrying non-living organisms. An example of sources for organism-free or "sterile" particles are particles of matter that enter the air when two sterile containers or two parts of the sterile machine are rubbed together. Equipment operators or other people who can enter the sterile environment contribute in this way to the high levels of pollutants for the environment, either in the form of microorganisms and particles.

Because of this, "eliminating the entry of people into the sterile zone is a significant improvement." The present invention is the result of an effort to produce an apparatus that is less difficult, as well as less expensive to operate and maintain, including the pollution control facility Specifically, it has been found that the apparatus itself can be designed in such a way that it includes a smaller isolation or sterile zone that includes only those components that are directly essential to the filling process and sealed, with all the others The components as well as the operators of the equipment placed outside the zone, by creating such a sterile zone, and the provision of this with access gates for the operator, obviate the need for a clean room, as is the need for Operators of the apparatus wearing sterile clothing A preliminary procedure for Problem 5 was to construct an insulation barrier around the "clean" upper portion of an existing filler apparatus.This resulted in a number of problems, the main problem being which was the inaccessibility to and extreme difficulty in cleaning and sterilizing the interior area, including the housed components, and the sealing of the components that pass from the inside to the outside of the sterile zone The existing filling machine, used for this preliminary procedure It is built in a way with a large, flat horizontal top table, to which the z-devices are mounted. cleaning in the upward direction, and to which the mechanical drive components are mounted in a downward direction from the top of the horizontal table. A stainless steel sheet metal cover is placed on the upper side of the horizontal table top plate, and serves as the division between the upper clean area and the lower mechanical space. When the concept was proposed to surround the upper clean space with an insulation barrier, several problems arose. First, the upper part of the horizontal table was relatively wide and, when surrounded by a barrier, did not allow access to all points within the clean space with conventional techniques, using the glove gate access. Second, since the significant amount of water and / or chemical can be used in a process to clean and / or sterilize the interior sterile zone, a simple and clean drainage system may be required. Because the upper part of the horizontal, conventional table was large and flat, not allowing good drainage and since many mechanical devices pass through the upper clean zone, now the sterile zone inside the insulator, for the mechanical space lower, the problems of drainage and sealing of the lower part of the sterile area became a major problem. In the current invention, an apparatus has been created, the main frame and mounting plate of which are oriented vertically, defining sterile and non-sterile areas in side-by-side relation. Those components that are directly essential for the effective processing of the containers, are placed on one side of the plate (sterile zone) with the support components placed on the opposite side (non-sterile zone). The plate, together with the set of sterile plates, encloses the essential components and defines the sterile zone. For example, the dispensing nozzles are placed within the sterile zone, while the pumping devices are placed within the non-sterile zone, and connected to the nozzles by tubes passing through the plate or barrier in sealed relation. The container conveyor itself, which of necessity is placed in the sterile zone, has also been oriented from horizontal to vertical to significantly reduce its width. The drive means for the conveyor, however, are located in the non-sterile zone. The result is a sterile area that is significantly reduced in size, and an appliance that is much more easily operated and maintained. The smaller sterile zone and the internally placed components are easily reached through the glove gates and, since the area is much smaller, it is easily cleaned. In addition, the absence of any mechanical devices that pass through the bottom of the sterile zone housing allows an extremely clean and drainable collection tray, without the associated sealing problems.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Figure 1 is a top plan view of a filling apparatus of prior art containers; Figure 2 is a cross sectional view of the prior art container filler apparatus, taken along line 2-2 of Figure i; Figure 3 is a schematic representation of a container filler apparatus exemplifying the invention, showing in particular a sterilization zone of reduced size; Figure 4 is a top plan view of the container filler apparatus of the invention; Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view of the container filler apparatus of the invention, taken along line 5-5 of Figure 4; Figure 6 is a fragmentary perspective view of the vessel transporter of the technique above; Figure 7 is a fragmentary perspective view of a container conveyor used in the container filler apparatus of the invention; Figure 8 is an enlarged perspective view of a conveyor board used on the container conveyor of Figure 7; Y Figure 9 is a cross-sectional view of a mechanism for adjusting the container conveyor and the associated apparatus.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED MODALITIES With initial reference to Figures 1, 2 and 6, a typical filler apparatus of the prior art is represented generally by the number 11. The apparatus 11 comprises a table or large structure 12 which is horizontally placed and supports all the various components of the apparatus. Apparatus 11. With particular reference to Figure 1, these components include an accumulator disk 13 which is filled with a plurality of flasks 14 received from a conveyor not shown. The bottles 14 are transferred from the storage disk 13 to a transfer disk 15, and a star wheel 16 individually collects the bottles 14 from the transfer disk 15, and carries them to a bottle conveyor 17. With reference to Figures 1, 2 and 6, the conveyor 17 includes drive rollers 18, 19 at opposite ends with a conveyor belt 21 of the roller or gear type operably connected therebetween. A plurality of slats 22 are mounted on and carried by the conveyor belt 21, each having a front V-shaped hollow 23, which is capable of receiving and transporting bottles 14 of different diameter. The sequentially transported bottles 14 slide along a horizontal carrier bar 24, placed below them, and a side bar 25 (Figures 2 and 6) holds each bottle 14 within the V-shaped projection 23, and on the carrier bar 24. The position of the conveyor 17 and of the side bar 25 can be horizontally adjusted separately by the mechanism bearing the reference number 26 in Figure 2, which makes it possible for the apparatus to accommodate bottles of different diameter, and ensures that the jars travel along the proper line of machine operation. The bottles 14 are sequentially transported by the conveyor 17 to a pre-fill weight checking mechanism 27, a filling apparatus 28 consisting of a plurality of nozzles connected to a similar number of pumps 29, a check mechanism 31 post-fill weight, a stopper head 32 supplied by a cap feeder 33 and a vial ejector station 34. Filling apparatus 11, of the prior art, is open to the surrounding environment, and is conventionally placed in a large clean room, the environment of which is maintained in a decontaminated or sterile state, as is known in the art. Conventional techniques are also used to prevent contamination such as operating personnel entering and leaving the room, including wearing sterile attire such as robes., gloves, caps and face masks. With reference to Figures 3-5, a bottle filling apparatus, which exemplifies the invention, is represented generally by the number 41. The apparatus 41 of the preferred embodiment is designed for use in the sequential filling of bottles fed continuously to injectable drugs, but the invention contemplates the filling of any type of container in a sterile environment. With particular reference to Figure 4, the apparatus 41 includes a sterilized inward feed enclosure 42, through which the bottles 14 pass over a conveyor 48. The inwardly feeding enclosure 42 represents the inlet towards a sterile zone, discussed below, and it is essential that the bottles 14 that enter this point are in a sterilized condition. For this purpose, the enclosure 42 is connected to a conventional bottle washer / sterilizer tunnel 50, which receives the non-sterilized bottles, performs a multi-step procedure that sterilizes the bottles, generally including de-genization, and dispenses jars. sterilized to the conveyor 48 of the feeding enclosure 42, sterilized. At this point, the sterilized bottles are transferred to an oscillating web feeding station 43, which moves the bottles to a transfer wheel 44, which sequentially loads the bottles 14 on a bottle conveyor 45, main , the basic function of which is the same as that of conveyor 21 of apparatus 11 of the prior art. However, as specifically discussed below, the conveyor 45 is structurally different and operates in an advantageous and improved manner. The conveyor 45 sequentially moves the bottles 14 to the pre-filling weight verification station 46, which randomly removes a bottle to establish a reference pre-fill weight. The bottles are then carried by the conveyor 45 through a filling station 47, which comprises a plurality of nozzles 49. The nozzles 49 are "." * 'Supplied by a plurality of pumps 51 described in greater detail below. After filling, the bottles 14 are moved by the conveyor 45 past a post-filling weight verification station 52, which removes each of the randomly selected, pre-weighed empty bottles at the test station of 46 pre-filled weight. This comparative weighing ensures that the specific amount of pharmaceutical preparation has been measured and dispensed into each bottle. The conveyor 45 then moves the bottles through a corking station 53, in which each one of the filled bottles is closed and sealed with a stopper. The bottles 14 are then moved to an eor and outfeed station 54, where the bottles are removed from the conveyor 45 and carried by means not shown to a packing station. With reference to Figure 5, the apparatus 41 comprises an elongated structure, certain components of which are shown in this cross sectional view. These include vertical leg members 55, a vertical cross bar member 56, a mounting plate 57 and a support member 58 of the vertical structure, which extends between the upper and lower crossbar member 56 and the plate. 57, at an intermediate point between the vertical leg members 55. It will be understood that the various components 55-58 are repeated over the length of the structure of the apparatus. A mounting plate 59, vertically placed, is secured to the various support members 58 of the structure, which extend longitudinally over the length of the apparatus 41 (see also Figure 4). A portion of the vertical mounting plate 59 extends above the members 57 of the upper transverse bar. A thin stainless steel blade 61, corresponding in size to the vertical mounting plate 59, is mounted to it in spaced relation, defining an air space 62. The stainless steel blade 61 defines the elongate barrier or the rear plate of a stainless steel cabinet generally carrying the reference number 63, which in turn defines an internal sterile zone 64. The area outside the cabinet 63 (for example, that portion on the left side of the barrier plate 61, as seen in Figure 5) it constitutes a non-sterile zone that generally carries the reference number 70.

Referring again to Figures 3 and 5, the sterile cabinet 63 further comprises a front plate 65 which is shown as generally corresponding in size to the back plate 61 in the schematic representation of Figure 3. However, and as shown in FIG. shown in Figure 4, the faceplate 65 includes several steps directed outwardly to accommodate several of the components described above. An upper part 66 of the cabinet and a lower part or bottom 67 of the cabinet interconnect the back plate 61 and the faceplate 65, and the ends of the cabinet are enclosed by the end plates 68, 69. The main entrance to the sterile zone 64 is the sterile tunnel 42, as discussed above. Corking station 53 also includes an inlet port or inlet gate 53a through which sterile plugs are admitted in a sterile manner, as is known in the art. The only outlet from the sterile zone 64 is the outward eion and feed station 54, which in the preferred embodiment comprises a plurality of conventional stellate wheels, the first of which is positioned within the sterile zone 64, and the second of which is located outside the zone 70. The bottles 14 are transferred between these first and second stellate wheels through a small opening in the cabinet 63. The sterile zone 64 is preferably maintained at a pressure greater than that of the surrounding environment, to cause an air discharge through the exit of flasks between the stellate wheels, thus resisting the entry of contaminants. The means for maintaining such pressure, which is not shown, is conventional and typically includes a supply of air that is filtered to remove contaminants. Preferably, the cabinet 63 includes a plurality of conventional gates 80 for gloves or other conventional means, to allow sealed access to the sterile zone 64. Preferably, the glove gates 80 are positioned at separate points to allow the operators of the apparatus 41 have access to all the points along the line of the movement of jars. With reference to Figure 3, a drain portion 71 of the cabinet 63 projects in a downward direction below the filling station 47. The respective lower portions 67, adjacent the drain portion 71 are inclined in a downward direction toward the drain portion 71. The bottom of drain portion 71 defines a plurality of collection drain trays 71a-c, which respectively lead to drains 72a-c. Each of the drains 72a-c is connected through a sealed coupling 73 to a common drainage pipe 74. The purpose of these drainage components is discussed in more detail below. With reference to Figures 4 and 5, each of the series of pumps 51 is of the rotary diaphragm type, such as that described in US Patent No. 3,880,053, and is capable of delivering a precise amount of liquid. Each of the pumps 51 is horizontally positioned as shown in Figure 5, and the rotary diaphragm is driven by the alternating movement rod 75. The rod 75 is moved in alternating motion by a pivoted joint member 76, which is connected between the rod 75 and a driving rod 77. The various rods 77 for the respective pumps 51 are driven in a precisely synchronized manner by a control mechanism 78, which is known in the art. Each of the pumps 51 has an inlet 81 to which an inlet pipe 82 is connected. The various inlet pipes 82 are commonly connected to a pipe that supplies the liquid to be filled and filled into the bottles 14.

Each of the pumps 51 has an outlet 83 from which a precise quantity of liquid is dispensed or pumped. Each outlet 83 of the pump has an outlet tube 84 connected thereto, which leads to one of the nozzles 49. The series of nozzles 49 are mounted on a rocker 85 that moves in a linearly alternating manner in a synchronized sequence relative to the bottles 14 in motion. The apparatus controlling the rocker 85 generally carries the reference number 86, and is known in the art. With reference to Figures 4, 5 and 7, the conveyor 45 includes a conveyor belt 87 having a row of holes 88 for sprocket or sprocket wheel, positioned along each edge.

The conveyor belt 87 is driven endlessly by a pair of opposed sprocket wheels 89, 90 (only the sprocket 89 is shown in Figure 7). In contrast to the drive sprocket wheels 18, 19 of the conveyor 17, which rotate about the axes vertical, the sprockets 89, 90 are rotated 90 degrees and rotate about a horizontal axis, as shown by the reference numeral 91 in Figure 5. For purposes of simplicity in Figure 5, the horizontal axes on which spin the sprockets of drive 89, are not shown. Such shafts extend through appropriate seals on the stainless steel blade 61 and the mounting plate 59, and are driven as discussed below. With such a configuration, the width of the conveyor 45 is significantly reduced, compared to the conveyor 17 of the prior art. Further, since the drive means for the conveyor 45 is located outside the sterile cabinet 63 as discussed below, the cabinet 63 and the sterile zone 64 are significantly reduced in size from a width point of view. Referring next to Figures 7 and 8, a plurality of bottle carrying slats 92 are mounted on the conveyor belt 87, each of which has a width substantially corresponding to the width of the band 87. With reference to the Figures 7 and 8, each of the slats 92 comprises a lower body 93 and an upper body 94. The lower body 93 includes a base 95, the lower side of which defines a notched sliding guide 96 which is sized and configured to lie above and be supported by the conveyor belt 87. A countersunk hole 97 extends through the center of the lower body 93, to receive a mounting screw (not shown) that holds each of the slats 92 to the band trans-carrier 87. The upper surface of the lower body 93 defines a platform 98 on which one of the bottles 14 can rest. The upper body 94 of each of the slats 92 is displaced relative to the lower body 93, to allow a bottle 14 to rest in centered relation on the lower body 93. The upper body 94 defines lower and upper side supports respectively defining V-shaped recesses 100, 102, respectively. The recesses 100, 102 are centered relative to the lower body 93, and in the preferred embodiment are formed at an included angle of 90 degrees. This angle, coupled with the size of the platform 98, allows each of the slats 92 to accept flasks 14 having a range of diameters. For flasks having diameters that do not fall within such an interval, slats 92 of a different size or a different included angle may be substituted. With reference to Figure 7, the conveyor 45 includes a stationary guide bar 103 which is positioned relative to the movable splints 92, for retaining the bottles 14, as shown in Figure 7. The lateral position of the guide bar 103 can be adjusted, as described in more detail below, based on the diameter of the bottles 14. By comparing the prior art conveyor 17 of Figure 6 with the improved conveyor 45 of Figure 7, it will be appreciated that the effective operating width of the conveyor 45 is significantly less than that of the conveyor 17, and corresponds essentially to the width of the slats 92 and the web 87. The prior art conveyor 17 has a width that includes not only the diameter of the drive roller 19 and the thickness of the conveyor belt 21, but twice the width of the slats 22 as well (taking into account the fact that the slats 22 project laterally from the front and rear sections of the conveyor belt twenty-one). In addition, the effective operating width of the conveyor 17 is increased by the flasks 14 projecting laterally outwardly of the conveyor 17, while the bottles 14 are carried in superimposed relation centered on the conveyor belt 87. It will also be noted that the prior art conveyor 17 requires a carrier slide or guide 24, which comprises the additional structure, which is added to the full size of the conveyor 17, and requires the bottles 14 to slide as they are moved in a forward direction. In the improved conveyor 45, the bottles 14 lie directly and are supported entirely by the slats 92, eliminating the need for the lower sliding bar 24 of the prior art and the conveyor 17, avoiding friction, vibration and generation of particles. With reference to Figures 5 and 9, it is essential that the center of each of the bottles 14 pass directly below the nozzles 49, and it will be appreciated that adjustments must be made to the apparatuses carrying and guiding the containers, to maintain a constant centerline of the jars. The adjustment mechanism shown in Figure 9 allows independent adjustment of the conveyor 45, as well as the bar guide 103, to accommodate bottles 14 of different diameters, and keep the center line constant. More specifically, the drive wheel 89 is carried by a mounting bracket 104 which in turn is carried by a mounting flange annular 105. The mounting flange 105 is secured to a telescopic adjustment tube 106 which projects through the stainless steel blade 61 and the mounting plate 59. The telescopic adjustment tube 106 is carried by such telescopic movement by means of a mounting tube Stationary 107, which is secured to an annular mounting collar 108. An annular collar 109 and annular seal 110 positioned in the air space 62 in wrapping relation to the mounting collar 108, serve to maintain the sterile zone 64 in a been decontaminated. The bearings 111, 112 positioned between the adjustment tube 106 and the mounting tube 107, allow relative telescopic movement of the tube 106, and a flexible bellows 113 extends between the stationary tube 107 and the mounting flange 105, to allow such relative movement, while sealing against pollution. The guide bar 103 is carried by a clamp or mounting bracket 114, which is mounted to a telescoping adjustment shaft 115. The shaft 115 slides telescopically within the adjustment tube 106, relative to a pair of bearings 116, 117. A flexible bellows 118 is secured at one end to the adjustment shaft 115, with the other end secured to the end of the tube. of adjustment 106, also for the purpose of preventing the entry of contaminating material into the sterile zone 64. A control plate 119 is mounted to the outer end of the adjustment tube 106, and a similar mounting plate 121 is mounted to the outer end of the shaft 115. Separate actuator means 122, 123 are respectively connected to the control plates 119, 121 for effecting the separate adjustment of the adjustment tube 106 and the shaft 115. The actuator means 122, 123 may be interrelated for adjustment to the jars of predetermined diameter, and may also include automated means to ensure centering of the bottles 14 relative to the nozzles 49. With reference to Figure 4, each of the operating stations placed within the sterile zone 64 is actuated by a drive mechanism which is placed outside the sterile zone 64 (for example, within the non-sterile zone 70). These various drive means, although separate, are inter-relatedly driven, because the various operations performed within the sterile zone 64 must be synchronous. An electric motor 131 serves as the primary driving means for the various driving means. Separate servomotors are used for other driving means as described below, which are operated in synchronous relation to the primary drive motor 131. The motor 131 includes the drive pulleys 132, 133 at each end. The drive pulley 132 drives a drive pulley 134 through an endless drive belt 135. The drive pulley 134 is operably connected to the bank of 16 pumps 51, in a conventional manner. The drive pulley 133 is connected through a drive belt 136 to a drive pulley 137, which in turn is mounted to a common drive shaft carrying the general reference number 138. The drive shaft 138 comprises a plurality of drive shaft segments 138a-e, interconnected. The segment 138a of the drive shaft is connected through a right angle gear transmission 139 to a synchronization belt / pulley configuration. A drive connection 142 extends through the wall of the cabinet 63, connecting the timing belt / pulley 141 to the inwardly feeding station 43, of oscillating web. The seal on the cabinet wall 63, which bears the reference number 143, is of the same type as the seal consisting of the components 108-110 used for the adjustment of the lateral conveyor belt / bar of Figure 9. The segment 138a of the drive shaft is connected to the segment 138b of the shaft through a right-angle actuator 144. The right-angle actuator 145 is connected between the segments 138b-c of the drive shaft, the purpose of which is to drive the star wheel 44 through a pulley / belt configuration 146 and a connection of drive 147. The drive connection 147 extends through the mounting plate 59 of the cabinet 63, through a seal of the same type as the seal 143. The segment 138c of the drive shaft is connected through a configuration 148. of pulley / band to a right angle gear transmission 149, which has a drive pulley 151 (see also Figure 5). The drive pulley 151 is connected to drive or actuate the rocker 85 through the actuators 86, as described above, each of which extends through the mounting plate 59 through a seal similar to gello. The pre-fill weight verification station 46 and the post-fill weight verification station 52 are separately driven by the servomotors (not shown for clarity purposes), which are operated in synchronous relation to the drive motor. 131. The pre-fill weight verification apparatus 46 includes a discharge connection 152, and the post-fill weight verification apparatus 52 includes a discharge connection 153. The shaft drive segment 138 is connected to the through a pulley / belt configuration 154 to a right angle gear transmission 155, which in turn drives a pulley / belt configuration 156. This in turn is connected to a drive connection 157 which drives a portion of the corking station 53. Other components of the corking station are driven by a separate variable speed motor. The shaft drive segment 138d is also connected through a gear transmission 158 that drives a pulley / belt configuration 159. A drive connection 161 interconnects the configuration 159 through a seal, similar to seal 143, to the ejection and feed station to the outside, 54. The shaft drive segment 138e is connected to a gear transmission 162, of right angle, which in turn drives a configuration 163 of pulley / band. A drive connection 164 extends through a seal and the mounting plate 59, and connects the configuration 163 to the drive spring wheel 89. The drive wheel 90 is a drive wheel and does not include a direct drive. The lateral adjustment mechanism shown in Figure 9 is included in the drive connection 164. This adjustment mechanism is provided in a plurality of points on the length of the conveyor 45, each of which is represented by the number of reference 165. The driving means for effecting lateral adjustment is not shown in Figure 4 for clarity purposes. Figure 4 particularly emphasizes the significant improvement in the filling apparatus 41 of the sterile zone, which is significantly reduced in size, only with those components that are directly essential for the filling process, located within the sterile zone. All other components, including the drive elements of the machine, pumps, controls and the like, are placed outside the sterile zone. By effectively reducing the size of the essential components within the sterile zone and focusing on decontaminating sealing techniques, the resulting sterile zone is considerably smaller in size, shortening the operator's reach within the operating area, time that excludes potential contamination by the operator, and significantly reduces the periodic cleaning and sterilization task. In this latter respect, and with particular reference to Figures 3 and 5, the sterile zone 64 within the sterile cabinet 63 can be periodically cleaned and sterilized by techniques using steam and / or a wash with disinfectant liquid, with all internal components instead. As a result, the clean zone 64 can be effectively sterilized and decontaminated on a periodic basis, in a way that is much easier than decontaminating a full room or a much larger area. This also results in a significant decrease in the cost of operation and maintenance of the apparatus 41.

It is noted that in relation to this date, the best method known by the applicant to carry out the aforementioned invention, is the conventional one for the manufacture of the objects to which it relates.

Having described the invention as above, property is claimed as contained in the following:

Claims (26)

1 CLAIMS

1. An apparatus for filling containers in a substantially sterile environment, characterized in that it comprises: elongated structural means; vertical wall means carried by the elongated structural means, and extending over a substantial portion of their length, the ly-vertical wall means divide the apparatus into an elongated sterile zone and an elongated non-sterile zone, placed in adjacent relation; elongate closure means carried by the elongated structural means, and cooperating with the vertical wall means to define the elongate sterile zone; a plurality of operating stations each including operating means placed in substantially linear relationship over the length of the elongated sterile zone, a given operation being performed with respect to the containers by the operating means in each operating station by the associated operating means; the elongated container conveyor means positioned within the elongated sterile zone for transporting containers through the plurality of operation stations; The plurality of operating means comprises: (a) a first means of transferring containers for transferring empty containers from a point outside the elongated sterile zone to the conveying means; (b) the container filling means; (c) the means for closing the filled containers IOT; and (d) the second container transfer means for transferring filled containers from the elongated conveyor means to a point outside the elongated sterile zone; the elongated conveyor means, and for each of the operating means, each of the drive means is placed within the non-sterile zone, and the connecting means for connecting in a manner 20 each of the driving means with its associated operating means.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the housing means or enclosure comprises a bottom wall and a drain means placed inside the bottom wall

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the vertical wall means comprises a substantially vertical wall member.

4. The apparatus according to claim 3, characterized in that the wall member -Not substantially vertical and the closing means are formed of stainless steel.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the elongated conveyor means 5 comprises: first and second driving wheels placed in opposite relation, each of the driving wheels is arranged for rotation about a substantially horizontal axis; 0 an endless conveyor belt surrounding the first and second drive wheels, and defining upper and lower sections; and a plurality of container transporting members, secured to the endless conveyor belt 5 in spaced relationship.

6. The apparatus according to claim 5, characterized in that each of the container transporting members is placed in superposed relation to the outer face of the endless conveyor belt.

7 The apparatus according to claim 6, characterized in that the width of each container carrying member corresponds substantially to the width of the endless conveyor belt.

8. The apparatus according to claim 6, characterized in that each of the container transporting members defines a platform adjusted to size and configured to receive and carry one of the containers supportably.

9. The apparatus according to claim 8, characterized in that each of the container transporting members further comprises a laterally opening, V-shaped opening, placed on the platform to provide lateral support to the containers of different size.

10. The apparatus according to claim 9, characterized in that it further comprises an elongated guide bar placed within the sterile zone, adjacent to the upper section of the endless conveyor belt, in opposite relation to the laterally opening, V-shaped opening. to retain the containers in it.

11. The apparatus according to claim 10, characterized in that it further comprises: means for supporting the guide bar for laterally adjustable movement; and the driving means for adjusting the position of the guide bar relative to the upper section.

12. The apparatus according to claim 11, characterized in that the driving means is placed in the non-sterile zone.

13. The apparatus according to claim 5, characterized in that it further comprises: means for supporting the conveyor means, for laterally adjustable movement; and the adjusting drive means for adjusting the lateral position of the conveyor means relative to the operating means.

14. The apparatus according to claim 13, characterized in that the adjusting drive means is placed in the non-sterile zone.

15. The apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the filling means comprises a plurality of nozzles placed in substantially linear relation.

16. The apparatus according to claim 15, characterized in that the driving means for the plurality of nozzles comprises an equal plurality of liquid pumping means, and the connection means for the same comprises a plurality of liquid conduits, which interconnect each one of the pump means with its associated nozzle.

17. The apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the plurality of operating means further comprises: the weighing means for pre-filling verification, to determine the weight of a selected container before filling; and 1 the post-filling verification weighing means for determining the weight of the selected container after filling.

18. The apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that each of the connecting means extends through a sealed opening in the vertical wall means.

(J> 19. The apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the first container transfer means comprises means for sterilizing the empty containers.

20. The apparatus for filling containers in a substantially sterile environment, characterized in that it comprises: structural means; vertical wall means carried by the structural means, and dividing the apparatus into a sterile zone and a non-sterile zone, placed in adjacent relation; housing or enclosure means carried by the structural means and cooperating with the vertical wall means to define the sterile zone; a plurality of operating stations, each of which includes operating means placed in sequential relation within the sterile zone, a given operation being performed with respect to the containers in each operating station by the associated operating means; conveyor means positioned within the sterile zone for transporting containers through the plurality of operating stations; the plurality of operating stations comprises: (a) a first container transfer means for transferring empty containers from a point outside the sterile zone to the conveyor means; (b) container filling means; (c) the means for closing the containers; and (d) the second container transfer means for transferring filled containers from the conveying means to a point outside the sterile zone; the drive means for the conveyor means, and for each of the operating means, each of the drive means is collocated within the non-sterile zone; and connecting means for operatively connecting each of the driving means with their associated operating means.

21. The apparatus according to claim 20, characterized in that the plurality of operating means further comprises: the weighing means for pre-filling verification, to determine the weight of the selected container before filling; and weighing means for post-filling verification, to determine the weight of the selected container after filling.

22. The apparatus according to claim 20, characterized in that the conveyor means comprises the endless conveyor belt means, which defines upper and lower sections and a plurality of container conveyor members, secured to the endless conveyor belt means, in spaced relation , the container carrying members being placed in superposed relation to the outer face of the endless conveyor belt means.

23. The apparatus according to claim 22, characterized in that the width of each container carrying member corresponds substantially to the width of the endless conveyor belt means.

24. * The apparatus according to claim 20, characterized in that the filling means comprises a plurality of nozzles placed in superposed relation to the endless conveyor belt means.

25. The apparatus according to claim 24, characterized in that the driving means for the plurality of nozzles comprises a similar plurality of liquid pumping means, and the connecting means for the same comprises a plurality of liquid conduits interconnecting each one. of the pumping means with its associated nozzle.

26. The apparatus according to claim 20, characterized in that each of the connecting means extends through a sealed opening in the vertical wall means. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An apparatus for filling sterile containers is described, which defines an elongated but narrow sterile zone in which a number of operating stations are placed. An elongated vertical wall is carried by an elongated structure and a cabinet-like enclosure or enclosure cooperates with the vertical wall to define the sterile zone. The plurality of operating stations * "" are arranged in sequential relation to the length of the sterile zone, and an elongated container carrier is positioned within the sterile zone to transport the containers through the plurality of operating stations. . The conveyor is vertically oriented, consisting of an endless belt mounted on end wheels that rotate on horizontal axes. Each of the operating stations includes an operating portion positioned within the sterile zone. The actuating means are included for each of the operating stations, as well as for the elongated conveyor, each of which is positioned outside the sterile zone. The connecting means operably connects each of the drive means out of the sterile zone, through the vertical wall to the associated operating station - Al - within the sterile zone. By vertically orienting within the conveyor and placing the various drive means out of the sterile zone in side-by-side relation, the effective width of the sterile zone is significantly reduced. As a result, there is easier access to the sterile zone, and it is also more easily drained or drained after the washing operations. In addition, the sterile zone of reduced size results in an apparatus that is much easier to manufacture and maintain in a sterile condition.