US-12623865-B2 - Transport system for sterile-product tubs and use of a transport system

US12623865B2US 12623865 B2US12623865 B2US 12623865B2US-12623865-B2

Abstract

The invention relates to a transport system for sterile-product tubs ( 18 ), having a conveyor element for arranging a sterile-product tub and having a drive for moving the conveyor element, wherein the transport system is a planar transport system ( 10 ), wherein the conveyor element is a transport platform which has a placement surface for placing a sterile-product tub that is to be transported, wherein the drive comprises a drive surface ( 12 ) to which the transport platform can be electromagnetically coupled and which can move parallel to the drive surface, and wherein the planar transport system has a first additional platform ( 34 ) which can be electromagnetically coupled to the drive surface and can be moved independently of the transport platform parallel to the drive surface, and which has at least one support element ( 46 ) assigned to the first additional platform in order to support a side wall of a sterile-product tub placed on the placement surface of the transport platform.

Inventors

Marcus Kleinert
Ulrich Krauss
Lars Albig

Assignees

SYNTEGON TECHNOLOGY GMBH

Dates

Publication Date: 20260512
Application Date: 20230517
Priority Date: 20220524

Claims (12)

1 . An arrangement having a transport system for sterile-product tubs ( 18 ) and having a sterile-product tub ( 18 ), wherein the transport system has a conveyor element for arranging the sterile-product tub ( 18 ) and a drive ( 58 ) for moving the conveyor element, wherein the transport system is a planar transport system ( 10 ), and wherein the conveyor element is a transport platform ( 14 ) which has a placement surface ( 16 ) for placing the sterile-product tub ( 18 ) that is to be transported, wherein the drive ( 58 ) comprises a drive surface ( 12 ) to which the transport platform ( 14 ) can be electromagnetically coupled and moved parallel to the drive surface ( 12 ), and wherein the planar transport system ( 10 ) has a first additional platform ( 34 ) which can be electromagnetically coupled to the drive surface ( 12 ) and moved independently of the transport platform ( 14 ) parallel to the drive surface ( 12 ) and which has at least one support element ( 46 ) assigned to the first additional platform ( 34 ) in order to support a side wall ( 22 ) of the sterile-product tub ( 18 ) placed on the placement surface ( 16 ) of the transport platform ( 14 ), wherein the at least one support element ( 46 , 48 ) has an L-shaped profile, wherein the support element ( 46 , 48 ) catches the side wall ( 22 ) of the sterile-product tub ( 18 ) in a corner region ( 62 , 64 , 66 , 68 ) and supports it in different directions.
2 . The arrangement as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the transport system has a second additional platform ( 36 ) which can be electromagnetically coupled to the drive surface ( 12 ) and moved independently of the transport platform ( 14 ) and independently of the first additional platform ( 34 ) parallel to the drive surface ( 12 ) and which has at least one support element ( 48 ) assigned to the second additional platform ( 36 ) in order to support the side wall ( 22 ) of the sterile-product tub ( 18 ) placed on the placement surface ( 16 ) of the transport platform ( 14 ).
3 . The arrangement as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the side wall ( 22 ) of the sterile-product tub ( 18 ) placed on the placement surface ( 16 ) has a substantially rectangular profile, wherein the first additional platform ( 34 ) is arranged adjacently to a first corner region ( 62 ) of the side wall ( 22 ), wherein the second additional platform ( 36 ) is arranged adjacently to a second corner region ( 64 , 66 ) of the side wall ( 22 ), and wherein the first corner region ( 62 ) and the second corner region ( 64 , 66 ) are adjacent to one another or diagonally opposite one another.
4 . The arrangement as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the planar transport system ( 10 ) comprises a control device ( 60 ) which controls a movement of the transport platform ( 14 ) and a movement of the first additional platform ( 34 ) and/or of the second additional platform ( 36 ).
5 . The arrangement as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the first additional platform ( 34 ) is rotatable about a first rotational axis ( 54 ) perpendicular to the drive surface ( 12 ) and/or wherein the second additional platform ( 36 ) is rotatable about a second rotational axis ( 56 ) perpendicular to the drive surface ( 12 ) and/or wherein the transport platform ( 14 ) is rotatable about a rotational axis ( 84 ) perpendicular to the drive surface ( 12 ).
6 . The arrangement as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the at least one support element ( 46 , 48 ) is rail-like and extends parallel to the drive surface ( 12 ).
7 . The arrangement as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the at least one support element ( 46 , 48 ) is held on a holder ( 42 , 44 ), wherein a distance of the support element ( 46 , 48 ) from the drive surface ( 12 ) is adapted to a height of an upper boundary ( 24 ) of the side wall ( 22 ) of the sterile-product tub ( 18 ) placed on the placement surface ( 16 ) of the transport platform ( 14 ).
8 . The arrangement as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the sterile products ( 32 ) to be received by the sterile-product tub ( 18 ) comprise syringes, vials or carpules.
9 . The arrangement as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the drive surface ( 12 ) overlaps with a functional region of at least one of the following stations: an unpacking station ( 76 ) for unpacking a sterile-product tub ( 18 ) from outer packaging, an opening station for opening a lid portion ( 28 ) of the sterile-product tub ( 18 ), a removal station for removing sterile products ( 32 ) from an open sterile-product tub ( 18 ), a filling station for filling the sterile products ( 32 ), a weighing station for weighing empty sterile products ( 32 ) or filled sterile products ( 32 ), an inserting station for inserting empty sterile products ( 32 ) or filled sterile products ( 32 ) into an open sterile-product tub ( 18 ).
10 . The use of a transport system of an arrangement as claimed in claim 2 which is initially arranged laterally outside the placement surface ( 16 ) of the transport platform ( 14 ), from open outer packaging of the sterile-product tub ( 18 ), wherein the first additional platform ( 34 ) and the second additional platform ( 36 ) are arranged on mutually remote sides of the sterile-product tub ( 18 ), clamp the sterile-product tub ( 18 ) between them together with their respective support elements ( 46 , 48 ), bring the sterile-product tub ( 18 ), in the clamped state thereof, into a space above the placement surface ( 16 ) of the transport platform ( 14 ), and undo the clamped state by increasing the distance between the first additional platform ( 34 ) and the second additional platform ( 36 ).
11 . The arrangement as claimed in claim 8 , wherein the sterile products ( 32 ) are nested.
12 . The arrangement as claimed in claim 9 , wherein the drive surface ( 12 ) overlaps with functional regions of at least two of the stations.

Description

BACKGROUND The invention relates to an arrangement having a transport system and having a sterile-product tub. A transport system is known from an “ABO/ATO-automatic bag and tub opening” installation previously used by the applicant, which transport system has a conveyor element in the form of a conveyor belt that is movable along a transport path by means of a drive so that sterile-product tubs arranged on the conveyor belt can be transported along the transport path. To receive a sterile-product tub at a first station and to transfer the sterile-product tub at a second station, it is necessary to control and monitor the location, orientation and position of a sterile-product tub on the conveyor belt. For this purpose, mechanical stops, sensors and actuators are used, for example. These components must for their part be designed and adapted to the size and shape of the sterile-product tubs to be transported. Planar drive systems are known from XP007024225 and the subsequently published document WO 2023/020926 A1. A packaging machine is known from FR 3 063 973 A1. SUMMARY Proceeding from here, the object of the present invention is to create a simple and flexible transport system for sterile-product tubs. This object is achieved by an arrangement according to the disclosure. The transport system of the arrangement according to the invention comprises a transport platform with a placement surface for placing a sterile-product tub. The weight of the sterile-product tub presses down on the transport platform. To support the sterile-product tub laterally, a first additional platform is provided, which has a support element which, in a supporting state, interacts with a side wall of a sterile-product tub placed on the placement surface of the transport platform. The transport platform and the first additional platform are movable independently of one another on the drive surface, and therefore the support element of the first additional platform can assume different positions relative to a sterile-product tub placed on the placement surface of the transport platform. The transport system of the arrangement according to the invention allows any desired transport paths of the sterile-product tub to be specified simply. The course of a transport path of a sterile-product tub is freely selectable across the drive surface. The transport paths can be adapted to new transport tasks and/or to changed geometries of sterile-product tubs to be transported in a simple manner and without changing a mechanical periphery. Planar transport systems exhibit a high degree of positioning accuracy and reliable operation. Furthermore, these planar transport systems are frictionless, since the transport platform and the first additional platform do not touch the drive surface but are spaced from the drive surface via a working gap. The transport system of the arrangement according to the invention is thus also suitable in particular for use in clean rooms, for example in pharmaceutical plants. The first additional platform secures the sterile-product tub placed on the placement surface of the transport platform against lateral slipping. This allows the use of a flat placement surface, which is suitable for sterile-product tubs of different sizes and shapes without further adaptation. Particularly reliable support of the sterile-product tub on the placement surface of the transport platform is achieved when the transport system has a second additional platform which can likewise be electromagnetically coupled to the drive surface and moved independently of the transport platform and independently of the first additional platform parallel to the drive surface and which has at least one support element assigned to the second additional platform in order to support the side wall of a sterile-product tub placed on the placement surface of the transport platform. The support element of the first additional platform and the support element of the second additional platform are in contact with different portions of the side wall of the sterile-product tub supported by the transport platform when the sterile-product tub is transported. It is possible for the respective support elements of the two additional platforms to be in a pressureless contact state with the side wall of the sterile-product tub. It is preferred for the respective support elements of the two additional platforms to be in clamping engagement with the side wall of the sterile-product tub. This allows particularly reliable lateral fixing of the sterile-product tub on the placement surface of the transport platform. According to a preferred embodiment, the side wall of a sterile-product tub placed on the placement surface has a substantially rectangular profile, the first additional platform is arranged adjacently to a first corner region of the side wall, the second additional platform is arranged adjacently to a second corner region of the side wall, and the first corner reg