ROBOTIC FILLING SYSTEMS AND METHODS
Systems and methods are disclosed, which permit filling containers with a product. A filling arm is disposed within a chamber and an optical sensor is configured to sense openings of the containers within the chamber. Locations of the sensed openings are used to guide the filling arm to fill the containers with a product.
1 . A method for transferring an item into a chamber configured to maintain an environmental condition, the method comprising
providing the chamber, the chamber comprising at least one port and a holding arm, the holding arm disposed within the chamber;
operating the holding arm to engage with the item; and
operating the holding arm to transport the item through the at least one port into the chamber.
2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the operating the holding arm to engage with the item is operating the holding arm to engage an end effect tool of the holding arm with the item.
3 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising operating the holding arm to open the at least one port.
4 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the operating the holding arm to open the at least one port comprises operating the holding arm to engage an end effect tool of the holding arm with a locking portion of the at least one port to open a door of the port interior to the chamber.
5 . The method of claim 4 , wherein the operating the holding arm to engage with the item is operating the holding arm to engage the end effect tool of the holding arm with the item.
6 . The method of claim 3 , further comprising operating the holding arm to close the port.
7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the item is a tray bearing containers to be filled and the transporting the item into the chamber comprises moving the tray bearing the containers to be filled to a filling position within reach of a filling arm disposed within the chamber.
8 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the moving the tray bearing the containers to a filling position comprises positioning the containers within a sensing cone of a sensor disposed to sense an area within the chamber.
9 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the moving the tray bearing the containers to a filling position comprises positioning the containers within a sensing cone of a sensor disposed within the chamber.
10 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising attaching to the at least one port a transfer container containing the item.
11 . The method of claim 10 , further comprising containing a first exterior surface of the port and a second exterior surface of the transfer container against each other.
12 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising attaching to the at least one port a transfer isolator.
13 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the environmental condition is an aseptic condition.
14 . The method of claim 1 , wherein
the holding arm is an articulated arm; and
the operating the holding arm is operating the articulated arm.
15 . The method of claim 1 , wherein
the holding arm is a robotic arm; and
the operating the holding arm is operating the robotic arm.
16 . The method of claim 1 , wherein
the holding arm is a servo-driven robotic arm; and
the operating the holding arm is operating the servo-driven robotic arm.
17 . A method for filling containers with a product within a chamber configured to maintain an environmental condition, the method comprising
providing the chamber, the chamber comprising at least one port, a holding arm and a filling arm both disposed within the chamber and both operable by a user exterior to the chamber;
operating the holding arm to transfer into the chamber a tray bearing the containers;
guiding a filling portion of the filling arm to a location over an opening of at least one of the containers;
dispensing the product into the at least one of the containers via the filling portion.
18 . The method of claim 17 , further comprising
obtaining sensing data from a sensor disposed to sense an area within the chamber; and
identifying the location based on the sensing data.
19 . The method of claim 18 , wherein the identifying the location comprises operating pattern recognition software to recognize a pattern in the sensing data.
20 . The method of claim 17 , further comprising
obtaining sensing data from a sensor disposed within the chamber; and
identifying the location based on the sensing data.
21 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the method further comprises operating a stoppering arm disposed within the chamber to place a closure in the opening of the at least one of the containers.
22 . The method of claim 21 , wherein operating the stoppering arm to place a closure in the opening of the at least one of the containers comprises picking at least one closure from a plurality of recesses.
23 . The method of claim 22 , wherein the picking at least one closure from a plurality of recesses comprises picking at least one stopper from a stopper disc stack disposed inside the chamber.
24 . The method of claim 21 , wherein
the holding arm is an articulated arm; and
the operating the holding arm is operating the articulated arm.
25 . The method of claim 21 , wherein
the holding arm is a robotic arm; and
the operating the holding arm is operating the robotic arm.
26 . The method of claim 21 , wherein
the holding arm is a servo-driven robotic arm; and
the operating the holding arm is operating the servo-driven robotic arm.
27 . The method of claim 17 , wherein operating the holding arm to transfer into the chamber the tray bearing the containers comprises:
operating the holding arm to open the at least one port;
operating the holding arm to engage with the tray; and
operating the holding arm to transport the tray bearing the containers through the at least one port into the controlled environment.
28 . The method of claim 27 , wherein the operating the holding arm to engage with the tray is operating the holding arm to engage an end effect tool of the holding arm with the tray.
29 . The method of claim 27 , further comprising operating the holding arm to open the at least one port.
30 . The method of claim 29 , wherein the operating the holding arm to open the at least one port comprises operating the holding arm to engage an end effect tool of the holding arm with a locking portion of the at least one port to open a door of the port interior to the chamber.
31 . The method of claim 30 , wherein the operating the holding arm to engage with the item is operating the holding arm to engage the end effect tool of the holding arm with the tray.
32 . The method of claim 29 , further comprising operating the holding arm to close the port.
33 . The method of claim 27 , further comprising attaching to the at least one port a transfer container containing the item.
34 . The method of claim 33 , wherein the operating the holding arm to open the at least one port comprises containing a first exterior surface of the port and a second exterior surface of the transfer container against each other.
35 . The method of claim 34 , wherein the transfer container is a transfer isolator.
36 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the transporting the tray bearing the containers into the chamber comprises moving the tray bearing the containers to a filling position within reach of the filling arm.
37 . The method of claim 36 , wherein the moving the tray bearing the containers to a filling position comprises positioning the containers within a sensing cone of a sensor of the chamber.
38 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the environmental condition is an aseptic condition.
39 . The method of claim 17 , wherein
at least one of the holding arm and the filling arm is an articulated arm; and
the operating the holding arm is operating the articulated arm.
40 . The method of claim 17 , wherein
at least one of the holding arm and the filling arm is a robotic arm; and
the operating the holding arm is operating the robotic arm.
41 . The method of claim 17 , wherein
at least one of the holding arm and the filling arm is a servo-driven robotic arm; and
the operating the holding arm is operating the servo-driven robotic arm