Granted Patent B2

US 12,214,916 · App. 17/612,101 · Granted Feb 4, 2025

Inventors: Matthias Schwandt (Wallhausen, DE); Steffen Haefelein (Crailsheim, DE); Bjoern Krause (Crailsheim, DE); Christopher Klemm (Aurach, DE); Andreas Kuba (Crailsheim, DE); Sebastian Gran (Frankfurt am Main, DE)

Assignee: Syntegon Technology GmbH

B65B3/003B65B7/28B65B65/006

Abstract

Claims (29)

1. A machine arrangement, comprising

a processing station ( 2 ) for filling and sealing containers,

a handling device ( 3 ) for feeding containers into and removing containers from the machine arrangement,

wherein the handling device ( 3 ) is designed to feed containers into the machine arrangement and remove containers from the machine arrangement on a same side of the machine arrangement,

wherein the processing station ( 2 ) has at least one work region ( 4 ) for receiving an empty container, at which the empty container is filled and sealed,

wherein the processing station ( 2 ) has at least one storage region ( 5 ) for the temporary storage of filled and sealed containers, the at least one storage region ( 5 ) being located within the machine arrangement,

wherein the at least one storage region ( 5 ) and the at least one working region ( 4 ) are arranged in separate and different positions, and

wherein the handling device ( 3 ) is designed to feed empty containers to the processing station ( 2 ) and remove filled and sealed containers from the storage region ( 5 ).

2. The machine arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein the processing station ( 2 ) comprises a weighing station ( 7 ) for weighing empty and/or filled containers.

3. The machine arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein the processing station ( 2 ) comprises an inspection device for checking the condition of the empty containers and/or the filled containers.

4. The machine arrangement according to claim 1 , further comprising a format receptacle ( 6 ) with multiple receiving spaces ( 61 , 62 , 63 , 64 ) for individual containers.

5. The machine arrangement according to claim 4 , wherein a number of processing spaces in the processing station ( 2 ) is half as large as a number of receiving spaces in the format receptacle ( 6 ).

6. The machine arrangement according to claim 5 , wherein the handling device ( 3 ) has a plurality of individually controllable grippers ( 34 ), wherein the number of grippers ( 34 ) being equal to the number of processing spaces in the processing station ( 2 ).

7. The machine arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein the handling device ( 3 ) comprises a carriage ( 30 ) and/or comprises a robot ( 301 , 302 , 303 ).

8. The machine arrangement according to claim 1 , further comprising a turning station, wherein the turning station is arranged on the storage region ( 5 ).

9. The machine arrangement according to claim 1 , further comprising a closed housing ( 10 ) having at least one first sealable opening ( 11 ) which is configured to permit feeding of empty containers into the housing ( 10 ) via the first sealable opening ( 11 ) and which is configured to permit removing filled and sealed containers via the first sealable opening ( 11 ).

10. The machine arrangement according to claim 9 , further comprising a second sealable opening ( 12 ) which is configured to permit feeding of empty containers into the housing ( 10 ) via the second sealable opening ( 12 ) and which is configured to permit removing filled and sealed containers via the second sealable opening ( 12 ).

11. The machine arrangement according to claim 10 , further comprising a control device ( 100 ) configured to be operated in one of three operating modes depending on a type of container and/or a type of feed,

wherein a first operating mode is configured to introduce empty containers into the housing ( 10 ) of the machine arrangement through the first sealable opening ( 11 ) and to discharge filled and sealed containers from the housing of the machine arrangement through the first sealable opening ( 11 ), and

wherein a second operating mode is configured to introduce empty containers into the housing ( 10 ) of the machine arrangement through the second sealable opening ( 12 ) and to discharge filled and sealed containers from the housing of the machine arrangement through the second sealable opening ( 12 ), and

wherein a third operating mode is configured to introduce empty containers into the housing ( 10 ) of the machine arrangement through one of the sealable openings ( 11 , 12 ) and to discharge filled and sealed containers from the housing of the machine arrangement through the other of the sealable openings ( 11 , 12 ).

12. The machine arrangement according to claim 11 , further comprising a first additional module ( 101 ) and a second additional module ( 102 ), wherein the first additional module ( 101 ) is arranged at the first sealable opening ( 11 ) and the second additional module ( 102 ) is arranged at the second sealable opening ( 12 ), wherein the first additional module ( 101 ) is configured to handle a format receptacle for receiving a plurality of containers and the second additional module ( 102 ) is configured to handle individual containers.

13. The machine arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein the machine arrangement is for processing pharmaceutical products.

14. A method for filling and sealing containers in a processing station ( 2 ) using the machine arrangement claimed in claim 1 , the method being able to be carried out in three operating modes including:

a first operating mode is configured to introduce the empty containers into a housing ( 10 ) of the machine arrangement through a first sealable opening ( 11 ) and to discharge the filled and sealed containers again from the housing of the machine arrangement through the first sealable opening ( 11 ),

a second operating mode is configured to introduce the empty containers into the housing ( 10 ) of the machine arrangement through a second sealable opening ( 12 ) and to discharge the filled and sealed containers from the housing of the machine arrangement through the second sealable opening ( 12 ), and

a third operating mode is configured to introduce the empty containers into the housing ( 10 ) of the machine arrangement through the first sealable opening ( 11 ) and to discharge the filled and sealed containers from the housing ( 10 ) of the machine arrangement through the second sealable opening ( 12 ).

15. The method according to claim 14 , wherein, after filling and closing the container, the container is temporarily stored in the at least one storage region ( 5 ).

16. The method according to claim 14 , wherein the containers are filled with pharmaceutical products.

Assignments (2)

Priority Claims (1)

Continuity (1)

References Cited (28)