Fluent material handling – with receiver or receiver coacting mea – Processes – Filling dispensers
Reexamination Certificate
2002-05-10
2003-11-04
Douglas, Steven O. (Department: 3751)
Fluent material handling, with receiver or receiver coacting mea
Processes
Filling dispensers
C141S018000, C141S021000, C141S027000, C604S416000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06640842
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Needle-free injectors, capsules and the like are generally filled from the side from which the piston stopper is inserted. However, there are also cases where filling takes place from the side of the discharge opening, i.e. through the latter. Hereinafter for such containers only the expression injectors is used, but this term also covers other containers.
The problem of the invention is to provide a method and a device for the exact filling of different containers. It must be possible to fill the container up to the brim and at least in an approximately bubble-free manner.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to the invention, a piston stopper is inserted in an injector, an interior space of the injector is evacuated, and a liquid is then used to A fill the evacuated space. The method is usable with injectors of different sizes without conversion being necessary.
According to the invention the filling of the injector housing can take place by so-called suction filling at atmospheric pressure or under a slight vacuum of the liquid.
According to the invention, prior to the start of evacuation, the piston stopper can be brought to a position corresponding to the desired filling volume. The piston stopper is retained in this position during evacuation and filling. If use is made of a tight fitting piston, no further measures are required for maintaining the piston in this position. The position can be determined by a stop.
According to the invention for determining the state when the interior space of the injector is completely filled, use can be made of the disappearance of the vacuum.
Alternatively for filling the evacuated injector housing it is also possible to fill the injector in such a way that firstly the piston stopper is inserted and then liquid is filled through the discharge opening until the injector is completely filled.
According to the invention the piston stopper can be displaced by the pressure of the filled liquid until the injector filling volume is reached.
According to the invention for this purpose the filling volume can be preset by means of a dosing system, e.g. suitable pumps.
It is also possible and is proposed by the invention that the piston is moved by the pressure of the filled liquid until a desired position is reached and the reaching of said desired position is used for detecting the filled state. Also in this manner of filling the interior space of the injector is filled to the brim in bubble-free manner. The desired position can e.g. be determined by a fixed stop. In order to be able to carry out filling sufficiently rapidly in this case, it is possible for filling to take place with a much higher overpressure by so-called pressure filling.
The reaching of the stop can be used for ending the filling process.
If in the filled state of the injector there is still an overpressure in the liquid, it can be removed by suitable measures, e.g. by a bypass in the liquid feed line.
In the case of pressure filling it is not absolutely necessary for there to be a prior evacuation of the injector to be filled and in this case there is no need for the vacuum bell jar.
The discharge opening can be closed by a stopper after filling the injector.
The device proposed by the invention can have a mounting support for the injector to be filled and the mounting support can preferably have a stop for the piston stopper.
According to the invention it is also possible for a bell jar to be retained on the filling needle in such a way that it can still be moved relative to the filling needle, preferably against the action of a spring. It is possible in this way to use the filling needle drive for lowering the bell jar.
According to the invention the closing device can have a closing rod axially traversing the filling needle and which can be moved by a drive. Such a filling needle has the advantage that it closes without drops being formed. Through a corresponding choice of material and an easily dismantlable construction with few dead spaces, it is easy to clean and sterilize the filling needle.
The bell jar can have a suction opening surrounding the filling needle, so that evacuation and filling are integrated into a common filling member.
When dimensioning the system account must be taken of pharmaceutical standpoints. Sterile filters can be located at all product-contacting inlets and outlets for the system.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4010747 (1977-03-01), Clark et al.
patent: 4338980 (1982-07-01), Schwebel et al.
patent: 4713925 (1987-12-01), Kafkis
patent: 43 20 098 (1994-12-01), None
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patent: 2 668 118 (1992-04-01), None
patent: WO 96/13289 (1996-05-01), None
patent: WO 97/22375 (1997-06-01), None
patent: WO 97/36785 (1997-10-01), None
Arnitz Theo Wilfried
Kallmeyer Georg Alfred
Laukenmann Bernd
Mueller Michael Nikolaus
Rothbauer Juergen
Douglas Steven O.
Inova Pharma Systems GmbH
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