Device and method for the force-controlled closure of pharmaceutical containers
The invention relates to a device ( 10 ) for closing pharmaceutical containers ( 12 ) by means of closures ( 14 ).
1 . A device ( 10 ) for closing pharmaceutical containers ( 12 ) via closures ( 14 ), the device comprising:
a first holding device ( 16 ), which lies in a first plane ( 18 ), for receiving at least one pharmaceutical container ( 12 ),
a second holding device ( 20 ), which lies in a second plane ( 22 ) parallel to and spaced apart from the first plane ( 18 ), for receiving at least one closure ( 14 ) of the closures ( 14 ) for closing an opening ( 24 ) of the at least one pharmaceutical container ( 12 ),
wherein the first and the second holding devices ( 16 , 20 ) are alignable or aligned with each other such that the at least one closure ( 14 ) and the opening ( 24 ) of the at least one pharmaceutical container ( 12 ) are aligned with each other,
the device ( 10 ) further comprising at least one pressure unit ( 34 ) with a pressure element ( 26 ) and a counter element ( 28 ), wherein
the device ( 10 ) comprises a drive device ( 30 ), by which the counter element ( 28 ) and the at least one pressure unit ( 34 ) can be moved relative to one another along a closure movement axis ( 32 ) orthogonal to the first and second planes ( 18 , 22 ), wherein
during a closure movement the at least one pressure unit ( 34 ) and the counter element ( 28 ) both move towards one another, the at least one closure ( 14 ) and the at least one pharmaceutical container ( 12 ) are brought into contact between a pressure element ( 26 ) and the counter element ( 28 ) and are pressurized between the pressure element ( 26 ) and the counter element ( 28 ) in such a way that the at least one closure ( 14 ) is pressed onto or into the at least one pharmaceutical container ( 12 ) with a contact force in a direction of the closure movement axis ( 32 ) in order to close the opening ( 24 ) of the at least one pharmaceutical container ( 12 ),
wherein the pressure element ( 26 ) is mounted to be translationally movable relative to the at least one pressure unit ( 34 ) in the direction of the closure movement axis ( 32 ), and a movable mounting of the pressure element ( 26 ) is configured in such a way that a maximum contact force exerted on the at least one pharmaceutical container ( 12 ) and the at least one closure ( 14 ) during the closure movement is predetermined, wherein the movable mounting of the pressure element ( 26 ) is designed in such a way that the maximum contact force on the at least one pharmaceutical container and the at least one closure is specified by the movable mounting of the pressure element ( 26 ), such that when the at least one closure is pressed onto or into the at least one pharmaceutical container, the contact force or the contact force for a closing process results when the at least one closure comes into contact with the at least one pharmaceutical container and the closing process for the at least one pharmaceutical container continues until the maximum contact force is reached and that when the maximum contact force specified by the movable mounting is exceeded, the pressure element moves translationally in a direction opposite to a direction in which the at least one closure and the at least one pharmaceutical container are moved towards each other along the closure movement axis towards the at least one pressure unit, such that the contact force applied by the pressure element to the at least one closure and the at least one pharmaceutical container is not increased further and the closing process is completed, such that during this movement towards or into the at least one pressure unit, the pressure element can maintain the maximum contact force or the pressure element can reduce or completely release the contact force but not increase the contact force over the maximum contact force, such that the closing process of the at least one pharmaceutical container is dependent on the maximum contact force, which is specified by the movable mounting, and is not path-dependent and when the maximum contact force is reached, a press-on/press-in process is terminated, and a pressure or force with which the at least one pharmaceutical container and the at least one closure are pressed onto each other is not increased any further, wherein this termination criterion is independent of a distance the pressure element or the at least one pressure unit has already moved and wherein after the maximum contact force has been reached, the pressure element gives way in a direction of the at least one pressure unit.
2 . The device ( 10 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the pressure element ( 26 ) is coupled to the at least one pressure unit ( 34 ) via a mechanical, pneumatic, hydraulic or electric pressure limiting device ( 52 ) that limits the contact force that can be applied by the pressure element ( 26 ).
3 . The device ( 10 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the first holding device ( 16 ) and/or the second holding device ( 20 ) is configured to be movable relative to the at least one pressure unit ( 34 ).
4 . The device ( 10 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the counter element ( 28 ) in the device ( 10 ) can be moved translationally along the closure movement axis ( 32 ) relative to the at least one pressure unit ( 34 ) by the drive device ( 30 ), or wherein the counter element ( 28 ) is arranged immovably in the device ( 10 ).
5 . The device ( 10 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one pressure unit ( 34 ) in the device ( 10 ) can be moved translationally along the closure movement axis ( 32 ) relative to the counter element ( 28 ) by the drive device ( 30 ) or a further drive device ( 36 ), or wherein the at least one pressure unit ( 34 ) is arranged immovably in the device ( 10 ).
6 . The device ( 10 ) according to claim 5 , wherein a controller ( 38 ) is provided for controlling the drive device ( 30 ) and/or the further drive device ( 36 ), the controller ( 38 ) being designed to control the drive device ( 30 ) and/or the further drive device ( 36 ) in such a way that closing of the opening ( 24 ) of the at least one pharmaceutical container ( 12 ) with the at least one closure ( 14 ) takes place in a force-controlled manner, the controller ( 38 ) being configured to interrupt a pressing-in/pressing-on operation of the movable mounting after the maximum contact force has been reached.
7 . The device ( 10 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one pressure unit ( 34 ) with the pressure element ( 26 ) is arranged on a side of the first holding device ( 16 ), the pressure element ( 26 ) penetrating through a passage ( 40 ) formed on the first holding device ( 16 ) during a closing operation for contacting the at least one pharmaceutical container ( 12 ), in order to contact the at least one pharmaceutical container ( 12 ) at an end of the at least one pharmaceutical container ( 12 ) facing away from the opening ( 24 ), wherein the counter element ( 28 ) is arranged on a side of the second holding device ( 20 ),
or
wherein the at least one pressure unit ( 34 ) with the pressure element ( 26 ) is arranged on a side of the second holding device ( 20 ), wherein the pressure element ( 26 ) penetrates through a passage ( 42 ) formed on the second holding device ( 20 ) during a closing operation for contacting the at least one closure ( 14 ) in order to contact the at least one closure ( 14 ) on a side facing away from the opening ( 24 ), and the counter element ( 28 ) is arranged on a side of the first holding device ( 16 ).
8 . The device ( 10 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the first holding device ( 16 ) comprises a plurality of receptacles ( 44 ) for containers ( 12 ) of the at least one pharmaceutical container ( 12 ) and the second holding device ( 20 ) comprises a corresponding plurality of receptacles ( 46 ) for corresponding ones of the closures ( 14 ), and the at least one pressure unit ( 34 ) comprises a corresponding plurality of pressure elements ( 26 ) coupled to the at least one pressure unit ( 34 ) via a corresponding plurality of pressure limiting devices ( 52 ) or via a common pressure limiting device ( 52 ).
9 . The device ( 10 ) according to claim 1 , wherein a pressure limiting device ( 52 ) is configured to preset a same maximum contact force on the pharmaceutical containers ( 12 ) and the closures ( 14 ) in an adjustable manner, in each case or
wherein the pressure limiting device ( 52 ) is designed to preset a maximum contact force on the pharmaceutical containers ( 12 ) and the closures ( 14 ) in each case in an individually adjustable manner.
10 . The device ( 10 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the pressure element ( 26 ) includes a piston of pin-like design.
11 . The device ( 10 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the maximum contact force exerted on the at least one pharmaceutical container ( 12 ) and the at least one closure ( 14 ) during a closure operation is predetermined in an adjustable manner.
12 . The device ( 10 ) according to claim 6 , wherein the controller ( 38 ) is configured to interrupt the pressing-in/pressing-on operation after the maximum contact force has been reached, and also after a further movement of the at least one pressure unit and the counter element towards one another following reaching of a maximum pressing-on force.
13 . A method for closing pharmaceutical containers ( 12 ) via closures ( 14 ), the method comprising:
providing at least one pharmaceutical container ( 12 ) of the pharmaceutical containers ( 12 ) and at least one closure ( 14 ) of the closures ( 14 ) for closing an opening ( 24 ) of the at least one pharmaceutical container ( 12 ),
aligning the at least one pharmaceutical container ( 12 ) and the at least one closure ( 14 ) relative to each other so that the at least one closure ( 14 ) and the opening ( 24 ) of the at least one pharmaceutical container ( 12 ) are aligned with each other,
pressing the at least one closure ( 14 ) onto or into the at least one pharmaceutical container ( 12 ) along a closure movement axis ( 32 ) to close the opening ( 24 ),
wherein
the at least one pharmaceutical container ( 12 ) and the at least one closure ( 14 ) are pressed into or onto each other in a force-controlled manner, so that a contact force exerted on the at least one pharmaceutical container ( 12 ) and the at least one closure ( 14 ) is exerted only up to a predetermined value of a maximum contact force, wherein when the at least one closure is pressed onto or into the at least one pharmaceutical container, the contact force or the contact force for a closing process results when the at least one closure comes into contact with the at least one pharmaceutical container and the closing process for the at least one pharmaceutical container continues until the maximum contact force is reached, wherein the closing process of the at least one pharmaceutical container is dependent on the maximum contact force and is not path-dependent and when the maximum contact force is reached, a press-on/press-in process is terminated, and a pressure or force with which the at least one pharmaceutical container and the at least one closure are pressed onto each other is not increased any further.
14 . The method according to claim 13 , wherein the at least one pharmaceutical container ( 12 ) is a plurality of pharmaceutical containers ( 12 ) and the plurality of pharmaceutical containers ( 12 ) are simultaneously closed with corresponding closures ( 14 ) of the closures ( 14 ) by being pressed onto one another with a contact force between a respective pressure element ( 26 ) and a counter element ( 28 ),
wherein the contact force is equal for all of the plurality of pharmaceutical containers ( 12 ) and the corresponding closures ( 14 ) and a first end distance between a first pressure element ( 26 ) and a counter element ( 28 ) associated therewith, between which a first container-closure pair ( 12 , 14 ) is arranged, and a second end distance between a second pressure element ( 26 ) and a second counter element ( 28 ) associated therewith, between which a second container-closure pair ( 12 , 14 ) is arranged, are different.
15 . The method according to claim 13 , wherein the pressing onto or pressing into of the at least one closure ( 14 ) is carried out by a drivable counter element ( 28 ) which is arranged on a first side ( 48 ) of the at least one pharmaceutical container ( 12 ),
wherein the drivable counter element ( 28 ) applies the contact force in a direction of the closure movement axis ( 32 ) towards a second side ( 50 ) of the at least one pharmaceutical container facing away from the first side ( 48 ), and
wherein the maximum contact force on the at least one pharmaceutical container ( 12 ) and the at least one closure ( 14 ) is limited by a pressure limiting device ( 52 ) which couples a pressure unit ( 34 ) to a pressure element ( 26 ).
16 . The method according to claim 13 , wherein the pressing onto or pressing into of the at least one closure ( 14 ) is carried out by a drivable pressure unit ( 34 ) with a pressure element ( 26 ), which is arranged on a first side ( 48 ) of the at least one pharmaceutical container ( 12 ),
wherein a counter element ( 28 ), which is arranged on a second side ( 50 ) of the at least one pharmaceutical container opposite the first side ( 48 ), forms a counter bearing for the drivable pressure unit ( 34 ), so that the at least one pharmaceutical container and the at least one closure ( 14 ) are arranged between the drivable pressure unit ( 34 ) and the counter element ( 28 ),
and wherein the maximum contact force on the at least one pharmaceutical container ( 12 ) and the at least one closure ( 14 ) is limited by a pressure limiting device ( 52 ) which couples the drivable pressure unit ( 34 ) to the pressure element ( 26 ).
17 . The method according to claim 13 , wherein the method comprises a step of adjusting the maximum contact force on the at least one pharmaceutical container ( 12 ) and the at least one closure ( 14 ).
18 . The method according to claim 13 , wherein method comprises a step in which for several pairs of a container ( 12 ) of the at least one pharmaceutical container ( 12 ) and respective closures ( 14 ) of the closures ( 14 ), the maximum contact force is adjusted to an identical value or to at least 2 different values.
19 . The method according to claim 15 , wherein the first side ( 48 ) of the at least one pharmaceutical container ( 12 ) is a side on which the opening ( 24 ) of the at least one pharmaceutical container ( 12 ) is arranged, and wherein the pressure unit ( 34 ) is immovable.
20 . The method according to claim 16 , wherein the first side ( 48 ) of the at least one pharmaceutical container ( 12 ) is a side opposite to the opening ( 24 ) of the at least one pharmaceutical container ( 12 ), and wherein the counter element ( 28 ) is immovable.