Granted Patent B2

US 12,241,773 · App. 17/631,233 · Granted Mar 4, 2025

Inventors: Ulrich Krauss (Ilshofen, DE); Olaf Busch (Crailsheim-Jagstheim, DE)

Assignee: Syntegon Technology GmbH

G01G15/04B65B3/003B65B3/28G01G13/248G01G21/22G01G23/14

Abstract

Claims (18)

1. An apparatus for weighing pharmaceutical containers ( 19 ) nested in a carrier ( 18 ), comprising at least one weighing device ( 22 ), wherein at least one receptacle ( 20 ) is provided for the carrier ( 18 ) of the containers ( 19 ), wherein the receptacle ( 20 ) is connected to the at least one weighing device ( 22 ) for weight detection of the receptacle ( 20 ), the carrier ( 18 ), and the containers ( 19 ), wherein the at least one weighing device ( 22 ) comprises at least one weighing cell ( 24 , 26 ) which is connected to the receptacle ( 20 ) at least via a stem ( 28 ).

2. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one weighing device ( 22 ) comprises at least two or more weighing cells ( 24 , 26 ) which are each connected to the receptacle ( 20 ) via the at least one stem ( 28 ).

3. The apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the at least two or more weighing cells ( 24 , 26 ) include a first weighing cell ( 24 ) and a second weighing cell ( 26 ), wherein the first weighing cell ( 24 ) is associated with at least one first stem ( 28 ) at a first side of the receptacle ( 20 ) and wherein the second weighing cell ( 26 ) is associated with at least one second stem ( 28 ) at a second side of the receptacle ( 20 ) opposite the first side.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein all of the containers ( 19 ) remain seated within the carrier ( 18 ) during weighing.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein at least one filling station ( 10 ) is provided which fills at least one container ( 19 ) when the container ( 19 ) is located in the carrier ( 18 ) and the carrier ( 18 ) is located in the receptacle ( 20 ).

6. The apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein the at least one weighing device ( 22 ) determines a weight before filling the container ( 19 ) and/or a weight after filling the container ( 19 ) and/or a weight after filling an additional container ( 19 ).

7. The apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein the filling station ( 10 ) comprises at least one arm, which moves at least one filling needle ( 16 ) for filling a container ( 19 ).

8. The apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein the at least one arm is a robot arm ( 12 ).

9. A method for weighing pharmaceutical containers ( 19 ) nested in a carrier ( 18 ), comprising the following steps:

the carrier ( 18 ), together with containers ( 19 ) to be filled located therein, is brought into a receptacle ( 20 ), wherein the receptacle is connected to a weighing station ( 22 ) for weight detection of the receptacle ( 20 ), the carrier ( 18 ), and the containers ( 19 ), and wherein the weighing station ( 22 ) comprises at least one weighing cell ( 24 , 26 ) which is connected to the receptacle ( 20 ) at least via a stem ( 28 ), and

when the carrier ( 18 ) is located in the receptacle ( 20 ), the weighing station ( 22 ) detects the weight.

10. The method according to claim 9 , wherein a container ( 19 ) is filled and the weighing station ( 22 ) then detects the weight.

11. The method according to claim 10 , wherein an additional container ( 19 ) is filled and the weighing station ( 22 ) detects the weight after the filling.

12. The method according to claim 10 , wherein a filling weight is determined from the weight determined after filling the container ( 19 ) and from the weight determined before filling the container ( 19 ).

13. The method according to claim 10 , wherein a filling weight of an additional container ( 19 ) is determined on the basis of a weight which is determined for a previously filled container ( 19 ).

14. The method according to claim 9 , wherein after a last container ( 19 ) arranged in the carrier ( 18 ) has been filled, at least one container ( 19 ) is closed.

15. The method according to claim 14 , wherein before and/or after the container ( 19 ) is closed, the weight is determined and/or an additional container ( 19 ) is filled and/or closed and the weight of the additional container ( 19 ) is determined.

16. The method according to claim 9 , wherein the weighing station ( 22 ) detects the weight of the carrier ( 18 ) and all the containers ( 19 ) located in the carrier ( 18 ) when the carrier ( 18 ) is located in the receptacle ( 20 ).

Assignments (2)

Priority Claims (1)

Continuity (1)

References Cited (45)