JPH0786009B2 - Orientation and storage device for vials in general and syringe vials in particular - Google Patents

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD This invention relates to an apparatus for first orienting vials in general, and syringe vials in particular, and then placing them into a sales package, particularly a thermoformed container, which is made up of individual vial sheets and formed into a box shape.

BACKGROUND ART It has been recognized that one of the problems that has not yet been satisfactorily solved, particularly for, but not limited to, syringe vials, is the accurate placement of syringe vials into thermoformed tray containers at industrially required speeds without breakage or damage. Closed, box-shaped thermoformed tray containers are a typical method for distributing pharmaceuticals in syringe vials. Due to their inherent fragility, vials, particularly syringe vials, are prone to damage and are difficult to accommodate at the required industrial speeds, resulting in a lack of adequate accuracy.

Regarding placing syringe vials in a container,
The vials must first be rotated from an upright position to a horizontal position, and then, in this horizontal position, the vials must be fed into a recessed container below so that each syringe vial fits snugly into an individual recess in the container, which is only slightly larger than the syringe vials to allow for compaction and proper retention.

The methods used to this end have been unsatisfactory for several reasons, and it is therefore a primary object of the present invention to provide an apparatus which satisfies all the requirements of speed, precision, and integrity of the vials during operation. This object, and others which will become apparent from the detailed description that follows, are an apparatus for orienting and depositing vials into a container with a receiving recess, comprising: a supply section;
This is achieved by an apparatus comprising a mechanism for removably holding and directing at least one vial supplied by the supply section, and a container in a take-out section for receiving the vial from the holding and directing mechanism, wherein the holding and directing mechanism is an endless conveyor having a plurality of direction-changing cells, each of which comprises a direction-changing portion for vertically holding at least one vial supplied by the supply section, a non-direction-changing support portion to which the direction-changing portion is hinged, and a clamp provided in the direction-changing portion and normally biased in a closed state for holding the vial in the direction-changing portion, further comprising a direction-changing mechanism for converting the orientation of the direction-changing portion from a vertical state to a horizontal state during movement of the conveyor from the supply section to the take-out section, a mechanism for opening the plurality of clamps in the supply section, and a mechanism for simultaneously opening the plurality of clamps in the take-out section.

In this specification, the term "vial" includes, inter alia, syringe vials (which have already been alluded to).

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Preferred embodiments of the present invention are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which: FIG.

FIG. 1 is a schematic plan view of an apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the redirection cell oriented to receive a vial.

FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of the redirection cell in an orientation position from which a vial can be removed.

FIG. 4 is a partial perspective view showing details of a direction-changing cell with a changed shape.

In the accompanying drawings, the reference numeral 1 generally designates a feed section which feeds vials A in an upright position along two parallel lines 2, 3 to an endless conveyor generally designated 5, specifically to a plurality of redirection cells 6 provided on the conveyor. As the conveyor moves, the redirection cells change direction to move the vials A from the vertical position in which they are contained in the cells to a horizontal position.

At the point on the conveyor 5 where the cells 6 are positioned in a horizontal direction, a take-out mechanism 9 is provided to release a predetermined number of horizontally oriented vials from the corresponding cells and to allow each vial to fall by gravity into a lower container 7 divided into a plurality of recesses 8 each adapted to hold one vial.

In particular, the supply section 1 comprises two parallel supply lines 2, 3. Each of these lines carries vial A.
The vial is surrounded by working portions 11, 12 of a pair of endless belts or bands 13, 14 spaced apart so as not to exert a conveying effect on the vial. The vial rests, via its flange A1, on a pair of support rods 15, 16 positioned higher than the belts 13, 14.

Inside the actuating parts 11, 12 of the belt there is provided a pusher 17 which is actuated to act on the syringe, for example by means of a pneumatic or electromagnetic actuator.

When this actuator is activated (pulsed for a short time), the pusher acts on the actuators 11, 12 in front of it, which then push the vials A, which are located along the lines 2, 3.
, a fast movement is imparted to the vial in the direction of arrow K, i.e. in the direction of conveyor 5 with diverting cell 6, so that the first vial in the queue enters the cell that is aligned to receive it.

The conveyor 5 comprises a plurality of identically shaped direction-changing cells 6. Each cell 6 has a rear (non-direction-changing portion) 20 that is fixed to a drive chain 21 and is constantly vertical. Grooves 22 are formed at the top and bottom of the rear portion 20, and fixed guide rods 23 are inserted into these grooves to resist thrust forces acting on the cell 6. These thrust forces will be described later.

The part 25 that effectively changes the direction of the cell 6 is hinged at the bottom of the rear part 20 at the point indicated by the reference numeral 24. The direction change part 25 is a receiving groove with a rounded base whose axis is perpendicular to the direction of movement of the conveyor 5.
2, this groove receives the syringe A when it is dispensed by the dispensing section 1 as previously described.

In order for the vial A to be received in each cell 6 and then properly held therein, the direction change portion of the cell
25 is provided with a clamp 27 having a slot 28 formed therein and attached to a pair of pins 29.

The pins are slidably mounted against the action of springs 30 in the deflection section 25 and terminate in a common cross bar 31 which rides on an idler roller 32.
Clamp only within the area where the supply section 1 is provided.
By the action of a cam or guide 33 arranged to move clamp 27 upward, vial A can be placed into groove 26 with the flange A1 of the vial resting on surface 34 below the raised clamp 27, which then lowers to lock flange A1 and hence vial A as it departs toward the vial receiving area.

On the same side as clamp 27, but behind it, the diverter section also includes a projection 35 which holds an idler roller 36, the axis of rotation of which is parallel to the axis of groove 26. The purpose of this idler roller, in conjunction with fixed guides 40, 41, shown diagrammatically in the accompanying drawings and disposed along the extension of conveyor 5, is to control the orientation of diverter section 25 so as to gradually transition from vertical (FIG. 2) to horizontal (FIG. 3) at the beginning of the section of conveyor 5 where vials A are removed from their corresponding cells and dropped into container 7 below. The orientation of the diverter section then reverts to vertical at the exit from removal section R, and the cells are again ready to receive new vials, as shown in FIG. 2.

The conveyor 5 moves along a path that is generally triangular in shape. At each apex of the triangle are adjustable idle deviation sprockets 140 (chain 21) that are coaxial but mounted in a known manner to allow the tension of the chain 21 to be adjusted.
141, a fixed position idle sprocket 142, and a stepping motor 4
and a coaxial drive sprocket 142 attached to the output of the reduction gear driven by the gearbox 144.

At the removal section R of the conveyor 5, a removal mechanism 9 is provided, positioned so as to act on several idle rollers 32 of the laterally turned cells 6. This mechanism is slidably mounted in the direction of the arrow X in a guide 51 (FIG. 1), and comprises at least one pusher member 50 in the form of a cross bar fixed to each end of two rods 52, each guided in a fixed support 52A and connected to each other by another cross bar 53, on which an actuator, for example of the electromagnetic or pneumatic type, operates against the action of a spring.

The pulse applied by this actuator moves the pusher member 50 against the roller 32, which moves the clamp 27 in a direction that releases the flange A1, i.e., the vial A, within the removal section R. The vial then falls into the recess 8 of the underlying container 7, such as a thermoformed container.
In order to counteract the torque exerted by the pushing member 50 on the guide
40 is extended as shown at 40A in the removal portion R of the device (FIG. 3).

The device according to the invention can be used not only with the syringe vials shown in the drawings, but also with conventional vials. To do this, the cell, or rather its redirecting portion, should have the shape shown in Figure 4. In the embodiment shown in Figure 4,
The vial is designated B, and groove 26a is constricted at its top at 26b to hold the vial at its constriction 70. Clamp 27a is formed with a tapered-ended slot 28a to fit the conical shape of end 70A of vial B.

From the above explanation, the operation can be easily understood.
Syringe vials A are dispensed from a known supply device provided upstream.
They are fed into two lines 2, 3 of the feed section 1 (arrows K) and are fed by the device one by one (for each line) into the grooves 26 of the empty cells 6 which arrive in succession in front of these lines (see FIG. 2).

When such alignment occurs between the line and the groove 26 (as measured, for example, by a proximity sensor or by processing the number of steps made by the stepping motor driving the conveyor 5), an electrical or pneumatic pulse is applied to the actuator 90 of the pusher 17, which moves the pusher into contact with the actuator (e.g., 11) of the opposing belt (e.g., 13), thereby feeding a vial into the corresponding cell 6. At this time, the cell clamps 27 are raised (FIG. 2). The conveyor 5 transports the vial-filled cells to the removal zone R, where the vials A are positioned horizontally. When it is detected, for example, by processing the number of steps made by the stepping motor, that a predetermined number of vials-filled cells are in the removal zone R, the removal mechanism 9 is activated to clamp the appropriate clamps 27.
is opened by the action of the thrust force applied by the pushing member 50,
As a result, the corresponding vials fall into the corresponding recesses 8 of the underlying containers 7, respectively.

Industrial Applicability The device of the present invention can be used in the packaging industry.

Continued from the front page (56) References: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 61-295976 (JP, A) Japanese Utility Model Application Publication No. 61-164106 (JP, U) French Patent No. 2479142 (FR, A)

Claims (7)

[Claims] 1. A device for orienting vials (A, B) into a container (7) with a receiving recess (8), comprising:
a supply section (1), a mechanism for removably holding and directing at least one vial delivered by the supply section, and a container (7) for receiving the vial from the holding and directing mechanism in a take-out section (R);
The holding and directing mechanism is an endless conveyor (5) with a plurality of diverting cells (6), each of which contains, in a vertical orientation, at least one vial (A, B) supplied by the supply section (1), and a diverting section (25) for diverting the vials (A, B) from the diverting section (25).
a non-directing support portion (20) to which the
a clamp (27) provided in the direction change section and biased in a closing direction in a normal state to hold the vial in the direction change section; a direction change mechanism (36, 40, 41) for changing the direction of the direction change section (25) from a vertical state to a horizontal state while the conveyor (5) is moving from the supply section (1) to the take-out section (R); and a mechanism (31, 32, 33) for opening the clamps (27) in the supply section (1).
and in the take-out section (R) multiple clamps (2
7) and a mechanism for simultaneously opening the device. [Claim 2] A device as described in claim 1, characterized in that the supply section (1) comprises at least one supply line (2, 3) for the vials (A, B) surrounded by actuating parts (11, 12) of belts (13, 14), at least one of which is pressed against the vials (A, B) to be supplied by a controllable pusher (17). [Claim 3] The device according to claim 1, wherein the mechanism for simultaneously opening the multiple clamps in the take-out section (R) comprises a thrust force mechanism (50) for opening the clamps by pressing rollers (32) connected to the clamps. [Claim 4] An apparatus as described in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the direction-changing cell (6) has a direction-changing portion (25) provided with a receiving portion (26) for accommodating the small bottle (A, B) and a spring (30) for biasing the clamp (27) in a closing direction. 5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the conveyor 5
is driven by a stepping motor. 6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the direction-changing mechanism includes a roller (36) interlocking with the direction-changing portion (25).
and fixed guides (40, 41) that are linked with this roller (36).
An apparatus comprising: 7. The method according to claim 6, wherein the direction change portion (25) has a groove (26) as a receiving portion for receiving the small bottles (A, B), and the groove is connected to the conveyor (5).
A device characterized in that it is oriented transversely to the direction of movement of the