AUTOMATED SYRINGE FILLER AND LOADING APPARATUS
The disclosure pertains to an automated apparatus for filling capped needle syringes. The syringes are held in a rotatable motor controlled carousel. The carousel turns to place a syringe proximate to a dispenser mechanism. A rotatable plate on top of the dispenser mechanism holds an automated cap extractor/installer and at least one inverted vial having a needle perforatable surface. The rotatable plate can also move up and down relative to the top of the dispenser mechanism. The cap can be removed by the automated cap extractor/installer and the rotatable plate rotated to place the inverted vial over the exposed syringe needle. The rotatable plate can descend so that the needle perforates the surface of the vial. A syringe plunger tool of the dispenser mechanism engages the syringe plunger and pulls it downward. The syringe plunger tool can disengage and return to its original position. The rotatable plate can raise to remove the needle from the vial. The rotatable plate can rotate to place the automated cap extractor/installer over the exposed needle. The automated cap extractor/installer holding the syringe needle cap can descend and the cap reattached to the syringe. The carousel can rotate to present the filled and capped syringe to an automated syringe inverter/extractor component that removes the capped syringe from the carousel and places the syringe in a holder.
1. Field of Use
The disclosure teaches a method and apparatus for automated filling of syringes. This includes automated filling of syringes with radiopharmaceuticals or other drugs.
2. Prior Art
Semi automated systems for filling syringes have been disclosed in the prior art including machines manufactured by Intellifill iv of FHT Inc., Daytona Beach, Fla. and Radio Syringe Filling by M & O Perry Industries of Corona, Calif.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF DISCLOSUREThe apparatus subject of the disclosure can be used to prepare (fill) syringes containing liquids including pharmaceuticals or radiopharmaceutical without operator participation. The apparatus can also be used to fill vials of solutions or mix solutions within a vial. When the solution is radioactive, the syringe filling operation can be performed in a suitably shielded location for operator safety.
The capping, filling and recapping of the syringe needles is performed automatically away from the operator, therefore eliminating any danger of accidental needle sticks during the filling operation.
The disclosure outlines a series of automated steps performed by the apparatus or components of the apparatus. It will be appreciated that the sequence in which these steps are performed may be varied without departing from the scope of the disclosed invention.
The syringes are filled while in an inverted position with the pharmaceutical, radiopharmaceutical, medication, radioisotopes or other drug or hazardous substance, hereinafter “solution”, positioned above the syringe. This allows for gravity vacuum feed of the solution. In an inverted position, the capped syringe needle is pointed up and the syringe plunger is at the bottom. The empty syringes are loaded onto a rotatable carousel or loaded individually into a single syringe adapter/holder. The carousel rotates a predetermined arc placing a syringe adjacent to a dispenser mechanism. The dispenser mechanism contains an automated syringe plunger tool and a rotatable component containing one or more inverted vials of solution and an automated needle cap extractor.
The syringe plunger tool may first engage the syringe plunger. The syringe plunger tool extends from the dispenser mechanism and engages the plunger of the syringe held in the carousel. This can secure the syringe in a stationary position during removal and replacement of the syringe cap and insertion of the needle into an inverted vial. It will be appreciated that the syringe plunger extends from the bottom of the syringe held in the carousel or single syringe adapter/holder.
The needle cap may next be removed from the syringe. The inverted vial rotates above the now exposed syringe needle. A vial of medication is aligned with the needle and the vial descends upon the needle and is perforated by the needle. The tool pulls the plunger down a predetermined distance. This causes a predetermined quantity of solution to be dispensed from the vial into the syringe.
The inverted vial is re-elevated to its original position, the rotatable plate rotates and the syringe cap descends upon the needle.
The carousel again rotates a predetermined arc and places the now filled syringe in front of an automated syringe extractor/inverter component. The syringe inverter component extends and grips the syringe and pulls it horizontally from the carousel. The gripper rotates the syringe about an horizontal axis such that the syringe needle is now pointed down and placed in a holder. The filled syringe can be manually removed from the syringe inverter component or placed in a further automated device. In another embodiment, the syringe is lifted from the carousel.
The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of the specification, illustrate preferred embodiments of the invention. These drawings, together with the general description of the invention given above and the detailed description of the preferred embodiments given below, serve to explain the principles of the invention.
The subject of this disclosure is an automated apparatus for filling syringes. The syringes can be filled with radiopharmaceuticals or other substances. The filling can be performed without handling by human operators or technicians. Radiopharmaceuticals are radioactive pharmaceuticals and can be used in the field of nuclear medicine as tracers in the treatment and diagnosis of many diseases. Radiopharmaceuticals include, but are not limited to, [N13] ammonia, [F-18] sodium fluoride, or [F-18] Fludeoxyglucose ([F-18] FDG).
The process starts with a rotatable carousel 110 having a plurality of slots or holders 111 containing capped empty syringes 211 being placed on a motorized rotating holder (carousel) removeably mounted on a carousel actuator. In one embodiment, the carousel 110 is placed on the carousel actuator 105 and rotated 45 degrees to attach it to the actuator 105. In another embodiment, the plunger tool or other mechanism actuate the carousel removing pins 193. The pins push the carousel up a few millimeters to break the force of the coupling magnets 192. The carousel may then be easily removed from the carousel actuator. See
Referring to
The syringes are placed in the carousel with the capped ends pointed upward and the syringe plungers pushed into the syringe with the plunger ends extending from the bottom of each syringe. Each syringe is held in an individual holder 111 of the carousel. In one embodiment, the syringes are not grasped or held in the individual holder of the carousel. It is possible to lift or pull the syringe horizontally out of the carousel without the release of any mechanism. Each syringe is held vertically in the carousel.
The carousel rotates in a controlled fashion. The carousel actuator can be mounted on a common base 148 of the filler (dispenser) mechanism 149. See
Referencing
Referencing
The disclosure further includes the top rotating plate 156 having the capability to rotate 360 degrees and to move vertically up and down. The rotating plate 156 first rotates the automated needle cap extractor 157 above the syringe cap 201. See
The syringe needle 202 is now exposed (cap removed). See
Recall that in one embodiment, the syringe plunger tool has engaged the syringe plunger. This can be the initial step of the fill sequence. The syringe plunger tool facilitates holding the vertically oriented syringe in a centered position when the automated needle cap extractor descends upon the cap. When engaged by suitable forward horizontal movement, the syringe plunger tool is then pushed downward (vertically) causing the syringe plunger to be pulled down a predetermined distance. This downward/vertical movement is shown by vector arrow 980 in
The syringe is now filled. The cap needs to be placed back on top of the syringe. See
When the cap is reattached to the syringe 211, the syringe plunger tool 171 can be rotated back horizontally. (See item 171 and vector arrow 978 of
The automated needle cap extractor is then elevated by the motor moving the rotational plate upward in the direction of vector arrow 976. See
The carousel can now rotate to bring an empty inverted syringe to the position beneath the automated needle cap extractor. The process is repeated of (i) engaging the syringe plunger tool with the syringe plunger (ii) cap removal, (iii) repositioning of the inverted vial, (iv) lowering of the vial onto the exposed needle, (v) moving the plunger down to fill the syringe with solution from the vial, (vi), elevating the inverted vial, (vii) repositioning the automated needle cap extractor, (viii) reattachment of the cap to the syringe, and (ix) disengagement of the syringe plunger tool. It will be appreciated the preceding sentence omits steps for brevity. These steps are described above or illustrated in the drawings.
The next step performed by the apparatus is removing the filled syringe from the carousel and re-inverting the syringe so that the syringe cap is facing down. This task is accomplished by syringe inverter/extractor 249 illustrated in
The carousel stops at a predetermined position in conjunction with the automated syringe inverter/extractor component. (This position of the carousel may simultaneously position another syringe, held by the carousel, directly beneath the automated cap extractor/installer. It will be appreciated that this positioning will allow two steps of the apparatus to occur simultaneously, i.e., filling of a syringe and extraction and inversion of a syringe from the carousel.) The syringe inverter/extractor can be attached to the dispenser mechanism or dispenser mechanism base by mount 250. See
In another embodiment, the syringe inverter/extractor can be used to remove a filled syringe from the carousel and place the syringe in a shielded container thereby protecting the operator.
It will also be appreciated that the apparatus may be configured to place the filled syringes into another rotating carousel for storage while the second carousel is filled without operator intervention. It will also be appreciated that the entire filing operation can be conducted in a shielded area. Other configurations with either the syringe cap up or down are within the scope of and included within this disclosure.
In another embodiment, the filled syringes can stay in the carousel and the entire carousel replaced by the operator with a replacement carousel of empty syringes.
In yet another embodiment, the syringes may be partially filled with solution when placed in the carousel and filled with additional solution by the filler mechanism.
The filler mechanism 149 can also be used to add solution to one or more vials from syringes containing solution. This process is basically the reverse of the syringe filling sequence. The syringe plunger tool is engaged with the syringe plunger. The syringe cap is removed by the automated needle cap extractor 157. The vertical motion of the rotating plate 156 at the top of the filler mechanism can also be used to lift the needle cap extractor. The rotating plate 156 can then horizontally rotate an inverted vial above the now exposed syringe needle. The vial can be lowered onto the needle. The syringe plunger tool can be elevated vertically, thereby pushing the syringe plunger upward. The solution within the syringe is discharged into the vial.
The filler mechanism can also be used to mix solutions within a vial. See
In addition, this specification is to be construed as illustrative only and is for the purpose of teaching those skilled in the art the manner of carrying out the invention. It is to be understood that the forms of the invention herein shown and described are to be taken as the presently preferred embodiments. As already stated, various changes may be made in the shape, size and arrangement of components or adjustments made in the steps of the method without departing from the scope of this invention. For example, equivalent elements may be substituted for those illustrated and described herein and certain features of the invention maybe utilized independently of the use of other features, all as would be apparent to one skilled in the art after having the benefit of this description of the invention.
While specific embodiments have been illustrated and described, numerous modifications are possible without departing from the spirit of the invention, and the scope of protection is only limited by the scope of the accompanying claims.
Claims
1. An automated method for the filling of syringes comprising:
- a) placing a syringe in an optional single syringe holder mount on a motor controlled filler mechanism;
- b) a syringe plunger tool rotating from a first position of the motor controlled filler mechanism and engaging the syringe plunger at a second position;
- c) an automated needle cap extractor mounted on a motor controlled rotatable plate descending from a third position to a fourth position and grasping a syringe cap and removing the syringe cap by returning to the third position;
- d) the rotatable plate rotating horizontally to a fifth position wherein a perforatable surface of an inverted vial is positioned above an uncapped syringe needle;
- e) the vial descending to a sixth position upon the needle;
- f) the syringe plunger tool pulling the syringe plunger downward a controlled distance to a seventh position;
- g) the vial moving upward from the sixth position and returning to the fifth position causing the syringe needle to be extracted from the vial;
- h) the rotatable plate rotating the automated needle cap extractor horizontally to the third position with the cap component directly above the needle;
- i) the automated needle cap extractor descending to the fourth position upon the needle and replacing the needle cap; and
- j) the syringe plunger tool disengaging from the syringe plunger and returning to the fifth position and automated needle cap extractor returning to the third position.
2. An automated method for the filling of syringes comprising:
- a) a motor controlled rotatable carousel in a horizontal plane holding vertically one or more syringes wherein a cap of the syringe is on top and a syringe plunger is on the bottom;
- b) locating a motor controlled filler mechanism proximate to the rotatable carousel;
- c) a syringe plunger tool rotating from a first position of the motor controlled filler mechanism and engaging the syringe plunger held in the carousel at a second position;
- d) an automated needle cap extractor mounted on a motor controlled rotatable plate descending from a third position to a fourth position and grasping a syringe cap and removing the syringe cap by returning to the third position;
- e) the rotatable plate rotating horizontally to a fifth position wherein a perforatable surface of an inverted vial is positioned above an uncapped syringe needle;
- f) the vial descending to a sixth position upon the needle;
- g) the syringe plunger tool pulling the syringe plunger downward a controlled distance to a seventh position;
- h) the vial moving upward from the sixth position and returning to the fifth position causing the syringe needle to be extracted from the vial;
- i) the rotatable plate rotating the automated needle cap extractor horizontally and stopping at the third position with the cap component directly above the needle;
- j) the automated needle cap extractor descending to the fourth position upon the needle to replace the needle cap; and
- k) the syringe plunger tool disengaging from the syringe plunger and returning to the fifth position and the automated needle cap extractor returning to the third position.
3. The method of claim 2 further comprising the steps:
- a) the motor controlled carousel rotating to a seventh position proximate to a motor controlled syringe inverter wherein a gripping jaw subcomponent of the syringe inverter moves from a eighth position to a ninth position and grasps the syringe and retracts to the eighth position whereby the syringe is removed from the carousel;
- b) the syringe inverter holding the syringe with the syringe cap at the top rotates in a vertical plane to a tenth position wherein the syringe cap is at the bottom and the gripping jaw sub-component is released.
4. The method of claim 2 further comprising reading a barcode on the syringe.
5. The method of claim 2 further comprising reading a barcode on a vial.
6. An automated apparatus for the filling of syringes comprising a single syringe adapter/holder, a syringe plunger tool that is rotatable and can be raised and lowered, and a rotatable plate that can be raised and lowered and capable of holding at least one inverted vial and an automated needle cap extractor.
7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the automated needle cap extractor comprises a rack and modified pinion.
8. An automated apparatus for the filling of syringes comprising:
- a) a motor controlled removable rotatable carousel in a horizontal plane and capable of holding vertically one or more capped syringes wherein a capped syringe is on top and a syringe plunger is on the bottom; and
- b) a motor controlled filler mechanism located proximate to the rotatable carousel and comprising a syringe plunger tool that is rotatable and can be raised and lowered, and a rotatable plate that can be raised and lowered and capable of holding at least one inverted vial and an automated needle cap extractor.
9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the automated cap extractor/installer comprises a rack and modified pinion.
10. The apparatus of claim 8 further comprising a motor controlled syringe inverter/extractor comprising a gripping jaw subcomponent that can be moved forward and back and rotated.
11. The apparatus of claim 8 further comprising a barcode reader.
12. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the barcode reader is mounted on the filler mechanism.
13. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the inverted vial contains radiopharmaceuticals.
14. The apparatus of claim 9 further comprising a rotatable plate capable of holding up to three inverted vials.
15. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein at least one motor control is a step motor.
16. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein at least one motor is a servo motor.
17. An automated cap extractor/installer comprising
- a) a cap access space;
- b) rack and modified pinion;
- c) a solenoid actuator. and;
- d) a position sensor.
18. A gripper comprising
- a) two electrically actuated gripper jaws
- b) a solenoid actuator. and;
- c) a gripper body comprising a mechanism to translate the solenoid actuator movement into the jaws movement.
19. The apparatus of claim 9 further comprising a rotatable plate capable of holding up to five inverted vials.
20. The apparatus of claim 9 further comprising a rotatable plate capable of holding up to six inverted vials.
Type: Application
Filed: Mar 23, 2011
Publication Date: Sep 27, 2012
Inventor: Saverio Roberto Strangis (Pearland, TX)
Application Number: 13/069,745
International Classification: B65B 3/12 (20060101); B25J 15/02 (20060101); B65B 7/28 (20060101);