US20080056865A1 - Apparatus and method for handling and opening a frangible container - Google Patents
Apparatus and method for handling and opening a frangible container Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- US20080056865A1 US20080056865A1 US11/470,390 US47039006A US2008056865A1 US 20080056865 A1 US20080056865 A1 US 20080056865A1 US 47039006 A US47039006 A US 47039006A US 2008056865 A1 US2008056865 A1 US 2008056865A1
- Authority
- US
- United States
- Prior art keywords
- container
- bottle
- operable
- portions
- severing
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Abandoned
Links
Images
Classifications
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65B—MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING
- B65B69/00—Unpacking of articles or materials, not otherwise provided for
- B65B69/0033—Unpacking of articles or materials, not otherwise provided for by cutting
Definitions
- the invention relates to devices and methods for opening a frangible container to empty the container of its contents, and more particularly, to an apparatus and method for severing a first portion of a frangible container from a second portion of the container in a manner that substantially reduces the loss of at least a portion of the contents from the container.
- Blood plasma is used as a raw material to produce a variety of blood components and other therapeutic materials such as serum albumin, anitihemophilic factor, fibrinogen, gamma globulin, and the like.
- blood plasma often is collected and stored in containers having a relatively small volume.
- plasma can be stored in one-liter high-density polyethylene (HDPE) bottles.
- HDPE high-density polyethylene
- the plastic bottles of plasma can be frozen and stored at subzero temperatures ranging between about ⁇ 20° C. and about ⁇ 35° C., for example. The frozen plasma forms a solid slug within a storage container.
- Plasma processing facilities typically process plasma in large batches. For example, a typical processing facility can process about 3800-3900 liters of plasma in a single processing run. Accordingly, frozen plasma from a large number of small, individual containers like those discussed above must be pooled together before batch processing.
- the frozen bottles of plasma can be partially thawed by exposing the sealed bottles to air flow at a temperature of about 5° C. for several hours. The warmer air causes the frozen plasma to thaw along its outer surfaces (i.e., to “skin-thaw”), and to separate from the interior walls of the containers, though the bulk of the plasma slug remains frozen.
- the plasma containers are adequately skin-thawed, one end is severed from each bottle by a sharp blade, and the bottles are emptied into a plasma-pooling vessel.
- the opened bottles can be manually or automatically emptied into a pooling vessel, for example. Once pooled, the batch of plasma is fully thawed and delivered for further processing. The emptied plasma bottles are safely discarded.
- Some of the plasma contained within the sealed bottles can be lost during the bottle opening and emptying process.
- any portion of the frozen plasma that is within the severed top portion or cap portion of a bottle may be lost as the severed cap portion and the frozen plasma therein falls away from the main portion of the bottle.
- a portion of the frozen or partially frozen plasma within the bottles may adhere to the sharp blade used to sever the top ends of the bottles from the lower portions of the bottles. That portion of the plasma that is adhered to the blade cannot be easily recovered, and is typically wasted. Though only a small portion of the total volume of plasma in a single bottle may be lost as the bottle is opened, the accumulation of wasted plasma in large bottle opening operations can be substantial.
- the invention includes an apparatus for opening frangible bottles containing substantially solid contents.
- the apparatus includes at least one cutter operable to sever a first portion of a bottle from a second portion of the bottle.
- the apparatus further includes at least one a bottle holder operable to hold the second portion of the bottle as the first portion is severed from the second portion.
- the apparatus also includes a gripper operable to releasably grip the first portion, and to substantially maintain the position of the first portion relative to the second portion as the first portion is severed from the second portion.
- the gripper also is operable to separate the first portion from the second portion of the bottle after severing.
- the invention also includes a device for separating substantially solid contents from a frangible container.
- the device includes a means for severing an upper portion of the container from a lower portion of the container.
- the device also includes a means for holding the lower portion of the container as the upper portion is severed from the lower portion.
- the device further includes a means for releasably gripping the upper portion such that the position of the upper portion relative to the lower portion is substantially maintained as the upper portion is severed from the lower portion.
- the device may also include means for lifting the upper portion from the lower portion of the container such that any of the solid contents within the upper portion is deposited onto or into the lower portion as the upper portion is lifted.
- the invention also includes a method of emptying a bottle of substantially solid contents.
- the method includes positioning the bottle for severing a first portion of the plastic bottle from a second portion of the bottle.
- the method also includes holding the first portion relative to the second portion, and severing the first portion from the second portion, such that the position of the first portion relative to the second portion is substantially unchanged during severing.
- the method also may include separating the first portion from the second portion such that substantially all of the solid contents remains with the second portion, and then discharging the contents from the second portion of the bottle.
- the invention further includes a container handling apparatus.
- a first plate includes a plurality of spaced first jaw members, and a second plate includes a plurality of spaced second jaw members.
- the second plate is slidably disposed on the first plate.
- At least one support member pivotally connects the first plate to a frame, and is operable to permit the first plate to selectively move between a raised position and a lowered position.
- a first actuator is operable to selectively move the first plate between the raised position and the lowered position
- a second actuator is operable to selectively move the second plate relative to the first plate between a clamping position and a release position.
- Each of the first jaw members cooperates with one of the second jaw members to selectively grip a portion of a container when the first and second plates are in the clamping position, and to selectively release a portion of a container when the first and second plates are in the release position.
- FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of a bottle opening apparatus according to the invention
- FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a bottle gripping device portion of the bottle opening apparatus shown in FIG. 1 ;
- FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the bottle-gripping device shown in FIG. 2 ;
- FIGS. 4A-4F are a series of elevation views showing sequential operation of the bottle opening apparatus of FIG. 1 ;
- FIGS. 5A-5B are plan views of a portion of the bottle gripping device respectively showing the device in a gripping position and a release position;
- FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a typical plastic transport and storage bottle for blood plasma.
- FIG. 6 A typical plastic transport and storage bottle 70 for blood plasma is shown in FIG. 6 .
- the bottle 70 has a generally cylindrical shape with a lower portion 74 and an upper end 76 .
- the upper end includes an open neck portion 75 configured to receive a removable sealing cap 72 .
- Blood plasma is deposited in the bottle 70 and is frozen to form a frozen plasma slug 90 .
- the thin-walled bottle 70 is constructed of a suitable polymeric material such as high-density polyethylene (HDPE).
- the bottle 70 can have a volume of about one liter, for example.
- the plasma 70 fills a majority of the bottle's volume to form an unfilled volume or air space 71 near the top end 76 of the bottle 70 .
- the upper surface of the plasma slug 90 defines a fill line or a cut line 78 .
- FIG. 1 shows one embodiment of a bottle-opening device 10 according to the invention.
- a plurality of bottles 70 containing frozen plasma or the like are supported by a plurality of spaced bottle holders 62 .
- the bottle holders 62 are configured to securely hold the bottles 70 in an upright position.
- the bottle holders 62 may be disposed on a movable conveyor belt 60 .
- the conveyor 60 selectively positions the bottles 70 between one or more cutting blades 80 and a bottle gripping apparatus 20 .
- the blades 80 are mounted on movable supports 82 that are configured to advance the blades 80 toward and through the bottles 70 , and to retract the blades 80 away from the severed bottles 70 .
- the frozen plasma within the bottles 70 is skin thawed before passing the blades 80 through the bottles 70 .
- the gripper 20 includes a plurality of pairs of moveable jaws 45 , 47 .
- Each pair of jaws 45 , 47 is configured to selectively grip and release an upper portion 76 of a bottle 70 .
- each pair of jaws 45 , 47 may be configured to cooperatively grip the neck or cap of a bottle 70 .
- the jaws 45 , 47 respectively project from a first sliding plate 44 , and a second sliding plate 46 .
- the sliding plates 44 , 46 include pluralities of elongated slots 52 , 54 .
- the elongated slots 52 , 54 When aligned, the elongated slots 52 , 54 receive shoulder bolts that extend through the slots 52 , 54 and engage threaded holes 23 in a base plate 22 . Washers 42 may be provided as shown on either side of the mated sliding plates 44 , 46 . The length of the shoulder bolts 49 is such that the sliding plates 44 , 46 are sufficiently secured to the base plate 22 , yet are substantially free to slide relative to each other via the elongated slots 52 , 54 .
- a first linear actuator 48 is disposed between a tab 41 on the first sliding plate 44 , and a boss 43 on the second sliding plate 46 .
- the linear actuator 48 is contracted, the plates 44 , 46 are caused to slide relative to each other such that each pair of cooperating jaws 45 , 47 is urged together in a closed or gripping position (as shown in FIG. 5A ).
- the linear actuator 48 is extended, the plates 44 , 46 are caused to slide relative to each other such that each pair of cooperating jaws 45 , 47 is urged apart to an open or release position (as shown in FIG. 5B ).
- the first linear actuator 48 preferably is a double-acting air cylinder, such as a Bimba Model No.
- PC-092-DXP double-acting line cylinder having a 1.06 inch bore diameter and a 2-inch stroke, available from Bimba Manufacturing Company.
- another type of linear actuator such as a hydraulic cylinder, solenoid, or the like, may be used.
- the base plate 22 includes a pair of spaced blocks that receive a shaft 26 .
- the shaft 26 includes a keyway 27 on one end, and is tightly engaged in the blocks 24 such that the shaft 26 cannot rotate in the blocks 24 .
- Each of a pair of opposed brackets 30 receives one end of the shaft for pivotally mounting the base plate 22 to a stationary frame (not shown) via fasteners 31 .
- Bearings 32 may be provided to facilitate rotation of the shaft 26 in the brackets 30 .
- a collar 34 may be removably mounted on each end of the shaft 26 to retain the shaft 26 and base plate 22 in the brackets 30 .
- a pivot arm 36 is disposed on the end of the shaft 26 having the keyway 27 , and is keyed to the shaft 26 by key 28 .
- the distal end of the pivot arm 36 is rotatably connected to a yoke 38 by pin 37 , and the yoke 38 is connected to one end of a second linear actuator 40 .
- the opposite end of the second linear actuator 40 is pivotally connected to a stationary frame (not shown).
- the second linear actuator 40 preferably is a double-acting pneumatic cylinder, such as a Bimba Model No. PC-173-DXP double-acting line cylinder having a 1.5 inch bore diameter and a 3-inch stroke, available from Bimba Manufacturing Company.
- another type of linear actuator such as a hydraulic cylinder, solenoid, or the like, may be used.
- FIGS. 4A-4F Operation of the bottle opening apparatus 10 and the gripping device 20 is shown in FIGS. 4A-4F .
- a bottle 70 is supported in bottle holder 62 and is positioned proximate to the cutting blade 80 by conveyor 60 .
- the second linear actuator 40 is contracted, such that the pivot arm 36 downwardly rotates.
- the downward movement of the arm 36 causes the shaft 26 to rotate, thereby raising the sliding plates 44 , 46 and gripping jaws 45 , 47 to an elevated position.
- the gripping apparatus 20 will not interfere with movement of bottles 70 carried by the bottle holders 62 and conveyor 60 .
- FIG. 4A a bottle 70 is supported in bottle holder 62 and is positioned proximate to the cutting blade 80 by conveyor 60 .
- the second linear actuator 40 is contracted, such that the pivot arm 36 downwardly rotates.
- the downward movement of the arm 36 causes the shaft 26 to rotate, thereby raising the sliding plates 44 , 46 and gripping jaws 45 , 47 to an elevated position.
- the second linear actuator 40 is extended such that the pivot arm 36 causes the shaft 26 to rotate, thereby lowering the sliding plates 44 , 46 and jaws 45 , 47 to a lowered or gripping position.
- a pair of jaws 45 , 47 clamp around the upper portion of the bottle 70 (as shown in FIG. 1 ). Accordingly, the bottle 70 is securely supported by both the bottle holder 62 and the contracted jaws 45 , 47 .
- the blade 80 is advanced toward and through the bottle by the movable blade support 82 . As shown in FIG. 4D , the blade is then withdrawn from the severed bottle 70 .
- the blade 80 severs the bottle 70 along a cut line 78 that divides the bottle into a lower portion 74 and an upper portion 76 .
- the cut line 78 substantially coincides with the bottom of the unfilled volume or air space 71 near the top end 76 of the bottle 70 (as shown in FIG. 6 ), such that substantially all of the contents of the bottle 70 is retained within the lower portion 74 of the bottle.
- the blade 80 slices through the bottle 70 along cut line 78 , at least some frozen or partially frozen plasma may remain in the upper portion 76 . In addition, at least some of the frozen or partially frozen plasma may contact and adhere to the blade 80 .
- the top portion of the bottle 76 is held stationary by the jaws 45 , 47 and the lower portion of the bottle 74 is held stationary by the bottle holder 62 . Accordingly, the top portion 76 and bottom portion 74 act to scrape any adhered plasma from the blade 80 as the blade is withdrawn, and substantially prevent adhered plasma from being withdrawn from the severed bottle 70 as the blade 80 is withdrawn. Therefore, the bottle opening apparatus 10 substantially reduces loss of plasma from the bottle 70 as the bottle is severed.
- the second linear actuator 40 is contracted, thereby raising the sliding plates 44 , 46 and jaws 45 , 47 to the elevated position.
- the gripping device 20 permits any plasma within the upper portion 76 to fall from the upper portion 76 such that the plasma is deposited and retained atop the lower portion of the bottle 74 . Accordingly, the gripping device 20 acts to prevent any plasma within the upper portion 76 from being lost during the bottle opening process.
- the invention also includes a method of emptying substantially solid contents from a frangible container, such as from a thin-walled plastic bottle.
- the method includes positioning a container 70 for severing a first portion of the container 76 from a second portion of the container 74 .
- the container 70 may be positioned proximate to a cutting blade 70 by a conveyor 60 or the like.
- the method also includes holding the first portion 76 relative to the second portion 74 .
- a holder 62 on a conveyor 60 may hold the second portion 74
- a moveable gripper 20 may hold the first portion 76 .
- the method further includes severing the first portion 76 from the second portion 74 , such that the position of the first portion 76 relative to the second portion 74 is substantially unchanged during severing.
- the first portion 76 may be separated from the second portion 74 as shown in FIGS. 4E and 4F .
- any portion of the contents within the first portion 76 is permitted or caused to pass from the first portion 76 into or onto the underlying second portion 74 .
- the contents then can be emptied from the second portion 74 of the container by any suitable manual or automated means.
Abstract
Description
- The invention relates to devices and methods for opening a frangible container to empty the container of its contents, and more particularly, to an apparatus and method for severing a first portion of a frangible container from a second portion of the container in a manner that substantially reduces the loss of at least a portion of the contents from the container.
- Blood plasma is used as a raw material to produce a variety of blood components and other therapeutic materials such as serum albumin, anitihemophilic factor, fibrinogen, gamma globulin, and the like. In practice, blood plasma often is collected and stored in containers having a relatively small volume. For example, plasma can be stored in one-liter high-density polyethylene (HDPE) bottles. In order to preserve the plasma for future processing, the plastic bottles of plasma can be frozen and stored at subzero temperatures ranging between about −20° C. and about −35° C., for example. The frozen plasma forms a solid slug within a storage container.
- Plasma processing facilities typically process plasma in large batches. For example, a typical processing facility can process about 3800-3900 liters of plasma in a single processing run. Accordingly, frozen plasma from a large number of small, individual containers like those discussed above must be pooled together before batch processing. In a typical plasma processing facility, the frozen bottles of plasma can be partially thawed by exposing the sealed bottles to air flow at a temperature of about 5° C. for several hours. The warmer air causes the frozen plasma to thaw along its outer surfaces (i.e., to “skin-thaw”), and to separate from the interior walls of the containers, though the bulk of the plasma slug remains frozen. Once the plasma containers are adequately skin-thawed, one end is severed from each bottle by a sharp blade, and the bottles are emptied into a plasma-pooling vessel. The opened bottles can be manually or automatically emptied into a pooling vessel, for example. Once pooled, the batch of plasma is fully thawed and delivered for further processing. The emptied plasma bottles are safely discarded.
- Some of the plasma contained within the sealed bottles can be lost during the bottle opening and emptying process. In particular, when a top of a bottle is severed, any portion of the frozen plasma that is within the severed top portion or cap portion of a bottle may be lost as the severed cap portion and the frozen plasma therein falls away from the main portion of the bottle. In addition, a portion of the frozen or partially frozen plasma within the bottles may adhere to the sharp blade used to sever the top ends of the bottles from the lower portions of the bottles. That portion of the plasma that is adhered to the blade cannot be easily recovered, and is typically wasted. Though only a small portion of the total volume of plasma in a single bottle may be lost as the bottle is opened, the accumulation of wasted plasma in large bottle opening operations can be substantial.
- Accordingly, there is a need for an improved process for pooling and thawing blood plasma that minimizes the amount of plasma that is wasted in the bottle opening process. In particular, there is a need for an improved apparatus and method for preventing frozen or partially frozen plasma that is retained within a severed cap portion of a bottle from being lost. In addition, there is a need for an improved apparatus and method that prevents frozen or partially frozen plasma from adhering to a blade as the blade severs the plasma bottles.
- The invention includes an apparatus for opening frangible bottles containing substantially solid contents. The apparatus includes at least one cutter operable to sever a first portion of a bottle from a second portion of the bottle. The apparatus further includes at least one a bottle holder operable to hold the second portion of the bottle as the first portion is severed from the second portion. The apparatus also includes a gripper operable to releasably grip the first portion, and to substantially maintain the position of the first portion relative to the second portion as the first portion is severed from the second portion. The gripper also is operable to separate the first portion from the second portion of the bottle after severing.
- The invention also includes a device for separating substantially solid contents from a frangible container. The device includes a means for severing an upper portion of the container from a lower portion of the container. The device also includes a means for holding the lower portion of the container as the upper portion is severed from the lower portion. The device further includes a means for releasably gripping the upper portion such that the position of the upper portion relative to the lower portion is substantially maintained as the upper portion is severed from the lower portion. The device may also include means for lifting the upper portion from the lower portion of the container such that any of the solid contents within the upper portion is deposited onto or into the lower portion as the upper portion is lifted.
- The invention also includes a method of emptying a bottle of substantially solid contents. The method includes positioning the bottle for severing a first portion of the plastic bottle from a second portion of the bottle. The method also includes holding the first portion relative to the second portion, and severing the first portion from the second portion, such that the position of the first portion relative to the second portion is substantially unchanged during severing. The method also may include separating the first portion from the second portion such that substantially all of the solid contents remains with the second portion, and then discharging the contents from the second portion of the bottle.
- The invention further includes a container handling apparatus. A first plate includes a plurality of spaced first jaw members, and a second plate includes a plurality of spaced second jaw members. The second plate is slidably disposed on the first plate. At least one support member pivotally connects the first plate to a frame, and is operable to permit the first plate to selectively move between a raised position and a lowered position. A first actuator is operable to selectively move the first plate between the raised position and the lowered position, and a second actuator is operable to selectively move the second plate relative to the first plate between a clamping position and a release position. Each of the first jaw members cooperates with one of the second jaw members to selectively grip a portion of a container when the first and second plates are in the clamping position, and to selectively release a portion of a container when the first and second plates are in the release position.
- These and other aspects of the invention are described in detail in the following description and the appended drawings.
-
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of a bottle opening apparatus according to the invention; -
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a bottle gripping device portion of the bottle opening apparatus shown inFIG. 1 ; -
FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the bottle-gripping device shown inFIG. 2 ; -
FIGS. 4A-4F are a series of elevation views showing sequential operation of the bottle opening apparatus ofFIG. 1 ; -
FIGS. 5A-5B are plan views of a portion of the bottle gripping device respectively showing the device in a gripping position and a release position; and -
FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a typical plastic transport and storage bottle for blood plasma. - A typical plastic transport and
storage bottle 70 for blood plasma is shown inFIG. 6 . Thebottle 70 has a generally cylindrical shape with alower portion 74 and anupper end 76. The upper end includes anopen neck portion 75 configured to receive aremovable sealing cap 72. Blood plasma is deposited in thebottle 70 and is frozen to form a frozenplasma slug 90. The thin-walled bottle 70 is constructed of a suitable polymeric material such as high-density polyethylene (HDPE). Thebottle 70 can have a volume of about one liter, for example. As shown inFIG. 1 , theplasma 70 fills a majority of the bottle's volume to form an unfilled volume orair space 71 near thetop end 76 of thebottle 70. The upper surface of theplasma slug 90 defines a fill line or acut line 78. -
FIG. 1 shows one embodiment of a bottle-openingdevice 10 according to the invention. In this embodiment, a plurality ofbottles 70 containing frozen plasma or the like are supported by a plurality of spacedbottle holders 62. Thebottle holders 62 are configured to securely hold thebottles 70 in an upright position. Thebottle holders 62 may be disposed on amovable conveyor belt 60. As shown inFIG. 1 , theconveyor 60 selectively positions thebottles 70 between one ormore cutting blades 80 and abottle gripping apparatus 20. Theblades 80 are mounted onmovable supports 82 that are configured to advance theblades 80 toward and through thebottles 70, and to retract theblades 80 away from the severedbottles 70. Preferably, the frozen plasma within thebottles 70 is skin thawed before passing theblades 80 through thebottles 70. - Details of one embodiment of a
bottle gripping apparatus 20 or “gripper” are shown inFIGS. 2 and 3 . In this embodiment, thegripper 20 includes a plurality of pairs ofmoveable jaws jaws upper portion 76 of abottle 70. For example, each pair ofjaws bottle 70. Thejaws plate 44, and a second slidingplate 46. As shown inFIG. 3 , the slidingplates elongated slots elongated slots slots holes 23 in abase plate 22.Washers 42 may be provided as shown on either side of the mated slidingplates plates base plate 22, yet are substantially free to slide relative to each other via theelongated slots - As shown in
FIG. 3 , a firstlinear actuator 48 is disposed between atab 41 on the first slidingplate 44, and aboss 43 on the second slidingplate 46. When thelinear actuator 48 is contracted, theplates jaws FIG. 5A ). Conversely, when thelinear actuator 48 is extended, theplates jaws FIG. 5B ). The firstlinear actuator 48 preferably is a double-acting air cylinder, such as a Bimba Model No. PC-092-DXP double-acting line cylinder having a 1.06 inch bore diameter and a 2-inch stroke, available from Bimba Manufacturing Company. Alternatively, another type of linear actuator such as a hydraulic cylinder, solenoid, or the like, may be used. - As shown in
FIGS. 2 and 3 , thebase plate 22 includes a pair of spaced blocks that receive ashaft 26. Theshaft 26 includes akeyway 27 on one end, and is tightly engaged in theblocks 24 such that theshaft 26 cannot rotate in theblocks 24. Each of a pair ofopposed brackets 30 receives one end of the shaft for pivotally mounting thebase plate 22 to a stationary frame (not shown) viafasteners 31.Bearings 32 may be provided to facilitate rotation of theshaft 26 in thebrackets 30. Acollar 34 may be removably mounted on each end of theshaft 26 to retain theshaft 26 andbase plate 22 in thebrackets 30. Apivot arm 36 is disposed on the end of theshaft 26 having thekeyway 27, and is keyed to theshaft 26 bykey 28. The distal end of thepivot arm 36 is rotatably connected to ayoke 38 bypin 37, and theyoke 38 is connected to one end of a secondlinear actuator 40. The opposite end of the secondlinear actuator 40 is pivotally connected to a stationary frame (not shown). The secondlinear actuator 40 preferably is a double-acting pneumatic cylinder, such as a Bimba Model No. PC-173-DXP double-acting line cylinder having a 1.5 inch bore diameter and a 3-inch stroke, available from Bimba Manufacturing Company. Alternatively, another type of linear actuator such as a hydraulic cylinder, solenoid, or the like, may be used. - Operation of the
bottle opening apparatus 10 and thegripping device 20 is shown inFIGS. 4A-4F . As shown inFIG. 4A , abottle 70 is supported inbottle holder 62 and is positioned proximate to thecutting blade 80 byconveyor 60. InFIG. 4A , the secondlinear actuator 40 is contracted, such that thepivot arm 36 downwardly rotates. The downward movement of thearm 36 causes theshaft 26 to rotate, thereby raising the slidingplates gripping jaws apparatus 20 will not interfere with movement ofbottles 70 carried by thebottle holders 62 andconveyor 60. As shown inFIG. 4B , with thebottle 70 at a desired location and thejaws gripper 20 in an open or release position (ref.FIG. 5B ), the secondlinear actuator 40 is extended such that thepivot arm 36 causes theshaft 26 to rotate, thereby lowering the slidingplates jaws jaws FIG. 1 ). Accordingly, thebottle 70 is securely supported by both thebottle holder 62 and the contractedjaws - As shown in
FIG. 4C , theblade 80 is advanced toward and through the bottle by themovable blade support 82. As shown inFIG. 4D , the blade is then withdrawn from the severedbottle 70. Theblade 80 severs thebottle 70 along acut line 78 that divides the bottle into alower portion 74 and anupper portion 76. Preferably, thecut line 78 substantially coincides with the bottom of the unfilled volume orair space 71 near thetop end 76 of the bottle 70 (as shown inFIG. 6 ), such that substantially all of the contents of thebottle 70 is retained within thelower portion 74 of the bottle. - Nevertheless, as the
blade 80 slices through thebottle 70 alongcut line 78, at least some frozen or partially frozen plasma may remain in theupper portion 76. In addition, at least some of the frozen or partially frozen plasma may contact and adhere to theblade 80. As theblade 80 is withdrawn from thebottle 70, however, the top portion of thebottle 76 is held stationary by thejaws bottle 74 is held stationary by thebottle holder 62. Accordingly, thetop portion 76 andbottom portion 74 act to scrape any adhered plasma from theblade 80 as the blade is withdrawn, and substantially prevent adhered plasma from being withdrawn from the severedbottle 70 as theblade 80 is withdrawn. Therefore, thebottle opening apparatus 10 substantially reduces loss of plasma from thebottle 70 as the bottle is severed. - As shown in
FIG. 4E , once thebottle 70 has been severed into alower portion 74 and anupper portion 76, the secondlinear actuator 40 is contracted, thereby raising the slidingplates jaws bottle 76 in this manner, the grippingdevice 20 permits any plasma within theupper portion 76 to fall from theupper portion 76 such that the plasma is deposited and retained atop the lower portion of thebottle 74. Accordingly, the grippingdevice 20 acts to prevent any plasma within theupper portion 76 from being lost during the bottle opening process. - As shown in
FIG. 4F , when the firstlinear actuator 48 is extended such that thejaws FIG. 5B ), the upper portion of thebottle 76 is released from the grippingapparatus 20. The lower portion of thebottle 74 and the plasma therein is carried away from thebottle opening apparatus 10 by theconveyor 60 for further processing. - The invention also includes a method of emptying substantially solid contents from a frangible container, such as from a thin-walled plastic bottle. With reference to
FIGS. 4A-4F , the method includes positioning acontainer 70 for severing a first portion of thecontainer 76 from a second portion of thecontainer 74. As shown inFIG. 4A , thecontainer 70 may be positioned proximate to acutting blade 70 by aconveyor 60 or the like. As shown inFIG. 4B , the method also includes holding thefirst portion 76 relative to thesecond portion 74. For example, aholder 62 on aconveyor 60 may hold thesecond portion 74, and amoveable gripper 20 may hold thefirst portion 76. As shown inFIGS. 4C and 4D , the method further includes severing thefirst portion 76 from thesecond portion 74, such that the position of thefirst portion 76 relative to thesecond portion 74 is substantially unchanged during severing. After severing thecontainer 70, thefirst portion 76 may be separated from thesecond portion 74 as shown inFIGS. 4E and 4F . As thefirst portion 76 is lifted from thesecond portion 74, any portion of the contents within thefirst portion 76 is permitted or caused to pass from thefirst portion 76 into or onto the underlyingsecond portion 74. The contents then can be emptied from thesecond portion 74 of the container by any suitable manual or automated means. - The embodiments of the invention described above are provided to illustrate various aspects of the invention, and are not intended to limit the invention thereto. Persons of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that certain modifications can be made to the described embodiments without departing from the scope of the invention. For example, though the apparatus and method principally are described for removing frozen contents from a plastic bottle, a system and method according to the invention can also be applied to release frozen or solid contents from other types of frangible containers. For example, the invention can be used to release frozen or solid contents from a paper or cardboard carton or the like. All such modifications are intended to be within the scope of the appended claims.
Claims (23)
Priority Applications (2)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
US11/470,390 US20080056865A1 (en) | 2006-09-06 | 2006-09-06 | Apparatus and method for handling and opening a frangible container |
PCT/US2007/077566 WO2008030825A2 (en) | 2006-09-06 | 2007-09-05 | Apparatus and method for handling and opening a frangible container |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
US11/470,390 US20080056865A1 (en) | 2006-09-06 | 2006-09-06 | Apparatus and method for handling and opening a frangible container |
Publications (1)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
US20080056865A1 true US20080056865A1 (en) | 2008-03-06 |
Family
ID=39151774
Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
US11/470,390 Abandoned US20080056865A1 (en) | 2006-09-06 | 2006-09-06 | Apparatus and method for handling and opening a frangible container |
Country Status (2)
Country | Link |
---|---|
US (1) | US20080056865A1 (en) |
WO (1) | WO2008030825A2 (en) |
Cited By (2)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US20120318832A1 (en) * | 2011-06-15 | 2012-12-20 | Brian David Hock | Hook-shaped water bottle that slides and hooks into a waistband or belt |
US20220015761A1 (en) * | 2020-07-16 | 2022-01-20 | Ethicon Llc | Firing circuit and control algorithm for surgical stapler |
Families Citing this family (1)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
CN105857795B (en) * | 2016-05-30 | 2018-04-06 | 哈工大机器人集团(哈尔滨)资产经营管理有限公司 | A kind of cillin bottle is unpacked equipment and method of unpacking automatically |
Citations (10)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US3757622A (en) * | 1970-12-24 | 1973-09-11 | Remy & Cie E P | Device for opening containers in a sterile environment |
US3939623A (en) * | 1973-12-21 | 1976-02-24 | Baxter Laboratories, Inc. | Plasma collection system |
US4253458A (en) * | 1979-03-08 | 1981-03-03 | Baxter Travenol Laboratories, Inc. | Method and apparatus for collecting blood plasma |
US4522586A (en) * | 1983-11-29 | 1985-06-11 | Price Frank C | Thermal conditioning of material in containers |
US4944647A (en) * | 1988-04-29 | 1990-07-31 | Alpha Therapeutic Corporation | Bottle cutting and emptying machine |
US5201788A (en) * | 1991-02-26 | 1993-04-13 | Stork Dardaine Industries S.A. | Method of and device for cutting off the upper part of a closed container of plastics or other material |
US5829634A (en) * | 1996-06-26 | 1998-11-03 | Immuno Aktiengesellschaft | Method of discharging a frozen blood product |
US6709221B2 (en) * | 2002-03-26 | 2004-03-23 | Probitas Pharma, S.A. | Gripping means for handling blood plasma containers |
US6715266B2 (en) * | 2001-12-04 | 2004-04-06 | Altman Browning And Company | Bottle unpack/repack apparatus and methods |
US6952988B2 (en) * | 2003-09-25 | 2005-10-11 | Plastipak Packaging, Inc. | Method and apparatus for trimming containers |
-
2006
- 2006-09-06 US US11/470,390 patent/US20080056865A1/en not_active Abandoned
-
2007
- 2007-09-05 WO PCT/US2007/077566 patent/WO2008030825A2/en active Application Filing
Patent Citations (10)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US3757622A (en) * | 1970-12-24 | 1973-09-11 | Remy & Cie E P | Device for opening containers in a sterile environment |
US3939623A (en) * | 1973-12-21 | 1976-02-24 | Baxter Laboratories, Inc. | Plasma collection system |
US4253458A (en) * | 1979-03-08 | 1981-03-03 | Baxter Travenol Laboratories, Inc. | Method and apparatus for collecting blood plasma |
US4522586A (en) * | 1983-11-29 | 1985-06-11 | Price Frank C | Thermal conditioning of material in containers |
US4944647A (en) * | 1988-04-29 | 1990-07-31 | Alpha Therapeutic Corporation | Bottle cutting and emptying machine |
US5201788A (en) * | 1991-02-26 | 1993-04-13 | Stork Dardaine Industries S.A. | Method of and device for cutting off the upper part of a closed container of plastics or other material |
US5829634A (en) * | 1996-06-26 | 1998-11-03 | Immuno Aktiengesellschaft | Method of discharging a frozen blood product |
US6715266B2 (en) * | 2001-12-04 | 2004-04-06 | Altman Browning And Company | Bottle unpack/repack apparatus and methods |
US6709221B2 (en) * | 2002-03-26 | 2004-03-23 | Probitas Pharma, S.A. | Gripping means for handling blood plasma containers |
US6952988B2 (en) * | 2003-09-25 | 2005-10-11 | Plastipak Packaging, Inc. | Method and apparatus for trimming containers |
Cited By (2)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US20120318832A1 (en) * | 2011-06-15 | 2012-12-20 | Brian David Hock | Hook-shaped water bottle that slides and hooks into a waistband or belt |
US20220015761A1 (en) * | 2020-07-16 | 2022-01-20 | Ethicon Llc | Firing circuit and control algorithm for surgical stapler |
Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
WO2008030825A2 (en) | 2008-03-13 |
WO2008030825A3 (en) | 2008-12-04 |
Similar Documents
Publication | Publication Date | Title |
---|---|---|
US4510737A (en) | Machine and method for filling flexible containers | |
US6991002B2 (en) | Tamper evident syringe tip cap and automated method for preparing tamper-evident syringes | |
KR101913763B1 (en) | Device for emptying a blood product bag | |
US6155024A (en) | Filling machine for particulate material | |
GB1602536A (en) | Apparatus for and method of filling flexible containers | |
US20080056865A1 (en) | Apparatus and method for handling and opening a frangible container | |
US4574559A (en) | Flexible bag automatic filling and capping apparatus | |
US20090304463A1 (en) | Powder handling device | |
CN104816855A (en) | Vorrichtung und verfahren zur entnahme von beh ltnissen aus einem tray | |
CN104816847A (en) | Apparatus and method for handling a tray | |
US3939623A (en) | Plasma collection system | |
US5743313A (en) | Apparatus and method for emptying a container in an aseptic manner | |
JP2501390B2 (en) | Method and device for cutting the upper part of a closed container | |
US4988255A (en) | Unpackaging machine | |
GB2058728A (en) | Apparatus for filling containers with liquid | |
US6715266B2 (en) | Bottle unpack/repack apparatus and methods | |
WO2008083274A2 (en) | Recovery system | |
DE19904281A1 (en) | Packaging machine for surgical needles with connected surgical thread | |
US20060242927A1 (en) | Lid dispensing system with stock cartridges | |
IL46101A (en) | Method for collecting plasma and bottle for use therefor | |
CN216581260U (en) | Finished product carrying device for plastic bag making machine | |
US20060242930A1 (en) | Pharmaceutical bulk-up system | |
WO2022271039A1 (en) | Method and apparatus for processing plastic liner bags | |
CN214776832U (en) | Damage-proof fruit film-covering packaging machine | |
US20220111992A1 (en) | System for opening and emptying a box with a lid |
Legal Events
Date | Code | Title | Description |
---|---|---|---|
AS | Assignment |
Owner name: TALECRIS BIOTHERAPEUTICS, INC., NORTH CAROLINA Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNORS:LAING, ROBERT PAUL;EDWARDS, DAVID CLARK;LOY, LARRY HOWARD;REEL/FRAME:018878/0840;SIGNING DATES FROM 20070119 TO 20070130 |
|
AS | Assignment |
Owner name: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC., AS THE ADMINI Free format text: PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT SECOND LIEN;ASSIGNORS:TALECRIS BIOTHERAPEUTICS HOLDINGS CORP.;TALECRIS BIOTHERAPEUTICS, INC.;PRECISION PHARMA SERVICES, INC.;AND OTHERS;REEL/FRAME:019047/0276 Effective date: 20061206 Owner name: WELLS FARGO FOOTHILL, INC., AS COLLATERAL AGENT, C Free format text: SECURITY AGREEMENT;ASSIGNORS:TALECRIS BIOTHERAPEUTICS HOLDINGS CORP.;TALECRIS BIOTHERAPEUTICS, INC.;PRECISION PHARMA SERVICES, INC.;AND OTHERS;REEL/FRAME:019047/0296 Effective date: 20061206 Owner name: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC., AS THE ADMINI Free format text: PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT FIRST LIEN;ASSIGNORS:TALECRIS BIOTHERAPEUTICS HOLDINGS CORP.;TALECRIS BIOTHERAPEUTICS, INC.;PRECISION PHARMA SERVICES, INC.;AND OTHERS;REEL/FRAME:019047/0317 Effective date: 20061206 Owner name: WACHOVIA BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS ADMINISTRA Free format text: SECURITY AGREEMENT;ASSIGNORS:TALECRIS BIOTHERAPEUTICS HOLDINGS CORP.;TALECRIS BIOTHERAPEUTICS, INC.;PRECISION PHARMA SERVICES, INC.;AND OTHERS;REEL/FRAME:019047/0296 Effective date: 20061206 |
|
STCB | Information on status: application discontinuation |
Free format text: ABANDONED -- FAILURE TO RESPOND TO AN OFFICE ACTION |
|
AS | Assignment |
Owner name: TALECRIS BIOTHERAPEUTICS, INC., NORTH CAROLINA Free format text: RELEASE BY SECURED PARTY;ASSIGNORS:WELLS FARGO FOOTHILL, INC.;WELLS FARGO BANK, N.A. (SUCCESSOR TO WACHOVIA BANK, N.A.);REEL/FRAME:026380/0966 Effective date: 20110601 |