Apparatus and method for handling and opening a frangible container
An apparatus and method for handling and opening frangible containers containing substantially solid contents is described. The apparatus includes a cutter configured to sever an upper portion of a container from a lower portion the container. The apparatus further includes a holder for holding the lower portion of the container, and a gripping device for gripping the upper portion of the container as the container is severed by the cutter. The gripping device lifts the upper portion from the lower portion of the bottle such that any portion of the solid contents within the upper portion is discharged to the lower portion of container. The apparatus also can include a positioner for presenting the bottle to the cutter for cutting.
The invention relates to devices and methods for opening a frangible container to empty the container of its contents, and more particularly, to an apparatus and method for severing a first portion of a frangible container from a second portion of the container in a manner that substantially reduces the loss of at least a portion of the contents from the container.
BACKGROUNDBlood plasma is used as a raw material to produce a variety of blood components and other therapeutic materials such as serum albumin, anitihemophilic factor, fibrinogen, gamma globulin, and the like. In practice, blood plasma often is collected and stored in containers having a relatively small volume. For example, plasma can be stored in one-liter high-density polyethylene (HDPE) bottles. In order to preserve the plasma for future processing, the plastic bottles of plasma can be frozen and stored at subzero temperatures ranging between about −20° C. and about −35° C., for example. The frozen plasma forms a solid slug within a storage container.
Plasma processing facilities typically process plasma in large batches. For example, a typical processing facility can process about 3800-3900 liters of plasma in a single processing run. Accordingly, frozen plasma from a large number of small, individual containers like those discussed above must be pooled together before batch processing. In a typical plasma processing facility, the frozen bottles of plasma can be partially thawed by exposing the sealed bottles to air flow at a temperature of about 5° C. for several hours. The warmer air causes the frozen plasma to thaw along its outer surfaces (i.e., to “skin-thaw”), and to separate from the interior walls of the containers, though the bulk of the plasma slug remains frozen. Once the plasma containers are adequately skin-thawed, one end is severed from each bottle by a sharp blade, and the bottles are emptied into a plasma-pooling vessel. The opened bottles can be manually or automatically emptied into a pooling vessel, for example. Once pooled, the batch of plasma is fully thawed and delivered for further processing. The emptied plasma bottles are safely discarded.
Some of the plasma contained within the sealed bottles can be lost during the bottle opening and emptying process. In particular, when a top of a bottle is severed, any portion of the frozen plasma that is within the severed top portion or cap portion of a bottle may be lost as the severed cap portion and the frozen plasma therein falls away from the main portion of the bottle. In addition, a portion of the frozen or partially frozen plasma within the bottles may adhere to the sharp blade used to sever the top ends of the bottles from the lower portions of the bottles. That portion of the plasma that is adhered to the blade cannot be easily recovered, and is typically wasted. Though only a small portion of the total volume of plasma in a single bottle may be lost as the bottle is opened, the accumulation of wasted plasma in large bottle opening operations can be substantial.
Accordingly, there is a need for an improved process for pooling and thawing blood plasma that minimizes the amount of plasma that is wasted in the bottle opening process. In particular, there is a need for an improved apparatus and method for preventing frozen or partially frozen plasma that is retained within a severed cap portion of a bottle from being lost. In addition, there is a need for an improved apparatus and method that prevents frozen or partially frozen plasma from adhering to a blade as the blade severs the plasma bottles.
SUMMARYThe invention includes an apparatus for opening frangible bottles containing substantially solid contents. The apparatus includes at least one cutter operable to sever a first portion of a bottle from a second portion of the bottle. The apparatus further includes at least one a bottle holder operable to hold the second portion of the bottle as the first portion is severed from the second portion. The apparatus also includes a gripper operable to releasably grip the first portion, and to substantially maintain the position of the first portion relative to the second portion as the first portion is severed from the second portion. The gripper also is operable to separate the first portion from the second portion of the bottle after severing.
The invention also includes a device for separating substantially solid contents from a frangible container. The device includes a means for severing an upper portion of the container from a lower portion of the container. The device also includes a means for holding the lower portion of the container as the upper portion is severed from the lower portion. The device further includes a means for releasably gripping the upper portion such that the position of the upper portion relative to the lower portion is substantially maintained as the upper portion is severed from the lower portion. The device may also include means for lifting the upper portion from the lower portion of the container such that any of the solid contents within the upper portion is deposited onto or into the lower portion as the upper portion is lifted.
The invention also includes a method of emptying a bottle of substantially solid contents. The method includes positioning the bottle for severing a first portion of the plastic bottle from a second portion of the bottle. The method also includes holding the first portion relative to the second portion, and severing the first portion from the second portion, such that the position of the first portion relative to the second portion is substantially unchanged during severing. The method also may include separating the first portion from the second portion such that substantially all of the solid contents remains with the second portion, and then discharging the contents from the second portion of the bottle.
The invention further includes a container handling apparatus. A first plate includes a plurality of spaced first jaw members, and a second plate includes a plurality of spaced second jaw members. The second plate is slidably disposed on the first plate. At least one support member pivotally connects the first plate to a frame, and is operable to permit the first plate to selectively move between a raised position and a lowered position. A first actuator is operable to selectively move the first plate between the raised position and the lowered position, and a second actuator is operable to selectively move the second plate relative to the first plate between a clamping position and a release position. Each of the first jaw members cooperates with one of the second jaw members to selectively grip a portion of a container when the first and second plates are in the clamping position, and to selectively release a portion of a container when the first and second plates are in the release position.
These and other aspects of the invention are described in detail in the following description and the appended drawings.
A typical plastic transport and storage bottle 70 for blood plasma is shown in
Details of one embodiment of a bottle gripping apparatus 20 or “gripper” are shown in
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Operation of the bottle opening apparatus 10 and the gripping device 20 is shown in
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Nevertheless, as the blade 80 slices through the bottle 70 along cut line 78, at least some frozen or partially frozen plasma may remain in the upper portion 76. In addition, at least some of the frozen or partially frozen plasma may contact and adhere to the blade 80. As the blade 80 is withdrawn from the bottle 70, however, the top portion of the bottle 76 is held stationary by the jaws 45, 47 and the lower portion of the bottle 74 is held stationary by the bottle holder 62. Accordingly, the top portion 76 and bottom portion 74 act to scrape any adhered plasma from the blade 80 as the blade is withdrawn, and substantially prevent adhered plasma from being withdrawn from the severed bottle 70 as the blade 80 is withdrawn. Therefore, the bottle opening apparatus 10 substantially reduces loss of plasma from the bottle 70 as the bottle is severed.
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The invention also includes a method of emptying substantially solid contents from a frangible container, such as from a thin-walled plastic bottle. With reference to
The embodiments of the invention described above are provided to illustrate various aspects of the invention, and are not intended to limit the invention thereto. Persons of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that certain modifications can be made to the described embodiments without departing from the scope of the invention. For example, though the apparatus and method principally are described for removing frozen contents from a plastic bottle, a system and method according to the invention can also be applied to release frozen or solid contents from other types of frangible containers. For example, the invention can be used to release frozen or solid contents from a paper or cardboard carton or the like. All such modifications are intended to be within the scope of the appended claims.
Claims
1. An apparatus for opening frangible bottles containing substantially solid contents, the apparatus comprising:
- (a) a cutter operable to sever a first portion of a bottle from a second portion of the bottle;
- (b) a bottle holder operable to hold the second portion of the bottle as the first portion is severed from the second portion; and
- (c) a gripper operable to releasably grip the first portion, and to substantially maintain the position of the first portion relative to the second portion as the first portion is severed from the second portion.
2. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the cutter comprises a blade configured to slice the first portion from the second portion.
3. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the cutter is operable to sever the bottle substantially coincident with a fill line that substantially corresponds to a margin of the solid contents.
4. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the gripper includes a first jaw and an opposed second jaw, and wherein the first and second jaws are movable between a gripping position and a release position.
5. An apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising a positioner operable to selectively position the bottle holder and the second portion of the bottle held therein relative to the cutter.
6. An apparatus according to claim 5 wherein the positioner comprises a conveyor belt.
7. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein:
- (a) the cutter is operable to sever a plurality of first portions from a plurality of respective second portions of a plurality of bottles;
- (b) the bottle holder is operable to hold the second portions of the plurality of bottles as the first portions are severed from the second portions; and
- (c) the gripper is operable to releasably grip the first portions, and to substantially maintain the positions of the first portions relative to the respective second portions as the first portions are severed from the second portions.
8. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the gripper is operable to separate the first portion from the second portion of the bottle after the first portion is severed from the second portion, such that any portion of the substantially frozen contents within the first portion is discharged from the first portion to the second portion.
9. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the gripper comprises at least one pair of cooperating movable jaws.
10. A apparatus for separating substantially solid contents from a frangible container, the device comprising:
- (a) means for severing an upper portion of the container from a lower portion of the container;
- (b) means for holding the lower portion of the container as the upper portion is severed from the lower portion; and
- (c) means for releasably gripping the upper portion such that the position of the upper portion relative to the lower portion is substantially maintained as the upper portion is severed from the lower portion.
11. An apparatus according to claim 10 and further comprising means for selectively positioning the holding means relative to the cutting means.
12. An apparatus according to claim 10 and further comprising means for separating the upper portion from the lower portion of the container after the upper portion is severed from the lower portion, the means for separating being operable to cause substantially any contents within the upper portion to be discharged to the lower portion as the portions are separated.
13. An apparatus according to claim 10 wherein the means for severing comprises a blade operable to be passed between the first and second portions of the container.
14. A method of emptying substantially solid contents from a frangible container, the method comprising:
- (a) positioning the container for severing a first portion of the container from a second portion of the container;
- (b) holding the first portion relative to the second portion, and severing the first portion from the second portion, such that the position of the first portion relative to the second portion is substantially unchanged during severing; and
- (c) discharging at least a portion of the contents from a portion of the container.
15. A method according to claim 14 and further comprising removing the first portion from the second portion of the container after severing, and causing any portion of the contents within the first portion to be discharged onto or into the second portion.
16. A method according to claim 14 wherein severing the first portion from the second portion comprises passing a blade through the container between the first and second portions.
17. A method according to claim 16 wherein holding the first portion relative to the second portion substantially prevents any portion of the substantially solid contents from being removed from the container as the blade is passed between the first and second portions.
18. A method according to claim 14 wherein the contents comprises a frozen liquid, and the method further comprises at least partially thawing the frozen liquid before severing the first portion from the second portion of the bottle.
19. A method of opening a frangible container containing substantially frozen contents, the method comprising:
- (a) holding an upper portion and holding a lower portion of the container;
- (b) severing the upper portion from the lower portion as the upper and lower portions are held;
- (c) lifting the upper portion from the lower portion such that any contents within the upper portion are discharged into or onto the lower portion.
20. An apparatus for opening a frangible container having a lower portion and an upper portion, the apparatus comprising:
- (a) a cutting blade;
- (b) a holder that holds the lower portion of the container and positions the container proximate to the cutting blade; and
- (c) a gripping device comprising: (i) a first jaw; (ii) a second jaw, the second jaw being moveable relative to the first jaw such that the second jaw and the first jaw are operable between an open position and a closed position; (iii) a pivot that permits the first and second jaws to pivot between a lowered position and a raised position; (iv) a first actuator that moves the first and second jaws between the lowered position and the raised position; and (v) a second actuator that moves the first and second jaws between the open position and the second position;
- wherein the gripping device is capable of selectively gripping the upper portion of the container as the container is severed between the upper and lower portions by the cutting blade, and is capable of lifting the upper portion from the lower portion after severing.
21. A container handling apparatus comprising:
- (a) a first plate including a plurality of spaced first jaw members;
- (b) a second plate including a plurality of spaced second jaw members, the second plate being slidably disposed on the first plate;
- (c) at least one support member pivotally connecting the first plate to a frame, and operable to permit the first plate to selectively move between a raised position and a lowered position;
- (d) a first actuator operable to selectively move the first plate between the raised position and the lowered position;
- (e) a second actuator operable to selectively move the second plate relative to the first plate between a clamping position and a release position;
- (f) wherein each of the first jaw members cooperates with one of the second jaw members to selectively grip a portion of a container when the first and second plates are in the clamping position, and to selectively release a portion of the container when the first and second plates are in the release position.
22. A container handling apparatus according to claim 21 wherein each of the first jaw members includes a first recess therein, each of the second jaw members includes a second recess therein, and wherein the first and second recesses cooperate to form a plurality of container receiving openings when the first and second plates are in the clamping position.
23. A container handling apparatus according to claim 21 and further comprising a conveyor operable to selectively position a plurality of containers proximate to the first and second jaw members.
Type: Application
Filed: Sep 6, 2006
Publication Date: Mar 6, 2008
Inventors: Robert Paul Laing (Cary, NC), David Clark Edwards (Inman, SC), Larry Howard Loy (Raleigh, NC)
Application Number: 11/470,390
International Classification: B65B 69/00 (20060101);