Cartridge loading system for syringe caps
Inventors
Assignees
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Publication Number
US-11980748-B2
Publication Date
2024-05-14
Expiration Date
Abstract
A cartridge and loading system for loading tamper-evident syringe caps into a robotic pharmaceutical compounding device. The compounding device has a syringe finishing station, and can transfer tamper-evident caps from the cartridge to the syringe finishing station. The cartridge has a floor disposed at an angle to horizontal. The device may include a vibratory element for vibrating the cartridge, so that tamper-evident caps are fed to an outlet of the cartridge by gravity.
Core Innovation
The invention describes a robotic compounding system that includes a syringe finishing station with an input location configured to individually receive tamper-evident syringe caps and to individually place the tamper-evident syringe caps onto syringes. The system further includes a cartridge configured to hold a supply of tamper-evident syringe caps, where the cartridge has an outlet positioned adjacent the input location of the syringe finishing station. The cartridge comprises a floor angled toward the outlet to facilitate movement of the tamper-evident syringe caps toward the outlet.
In the cartridge, a door is included that automatically closes when the cartridge is removed from the robotic compounding system. In one described arrangement, the syringe finishing station includes a gate at the input location and an actuator configured to open the gate. The gate is configured to be closed after each dispensing of a tamper-evident cap from the cartridge and opened by the actuator to selectively admit a tamper-evident cap from the outlet of the cartridge into the input location of the syringe finishing station.
In a separable configuration, the cartridge is separable from the syringe finishing station and includes an arrangement in which the syringe finishing station comprises a set of rails into which the cartridge slides to bring the outlet of the cartridge to the input location. The disclosed system can include a vibratory element or vibratory cradle to move the tamper-evident caps by gravity toward the cartridge outlet, and the cartridge design supports moving caps toward the outlet while coordinating cap transfer to the syringe finishing station input location.
Claims Coverage
The document provides three independent claims. Each independent claim centers on a robotic compounding system that pairs a syringe finishing station with a separable or adjacent caps cartridge and defines how tamper-evident syringe caps move to, and are selectively admitted at, an input location using an angled floor and an exchange or transfer control feature.
Angled cap-feeding cartridge adjacent to a syringe finishing station input
A robotic compounding system with a syringe finishing station having an input location configured to individually receive tamper-evident syringe caps and individually place the tamper-evident syringe caps onto syringes; and a cartridge configured to hold a supply of tamper-evident syringe caps, the cartridge having an outlet positioned adjacent the input location, wherein the cartridge comprises a floor that is angled toward the outlet to facilitate movement of the tamper-evident syringe caps toward the outlet.
Cartridge door automatically closes when removed
The robotic compounding system of the cartridge includes a door that automatically closes when the cartridge is removed from the robotic compounding system.
Input gate that closes after each dispensing and selectively admits caps via actuator
A robotic compounding system in which the syringe finishing station comprises a gate at the input location and an actuator configured to open the gate; and wherein the gate is closed after each dispensing of a tamper-evident cap from the cartridge, and the actuator is configured to open the gate to selectively admit a tamper-evident cap from the outlet of the cartridge into the input location of the syringe finishing station.
Separability with rails to align cartridge outlet to station input location
A robotic compounding system in which the cartridge is separable from the syringe finishing station, and the syringe finishing station comprises a set of rails into which the cartridge slides to bring the outlet of the cartridge to the input location of the syringe finishing station.
Across the independent claims, the core inventive structure is a robotic compounding system combining an input location for individually placing tamper-evident syringe caps with a cartridge having an angled floor toward an outlet adjacent that input location. The independent claim variations further define an automatically closing cartridge door upon removal, a gate at the input location closed after each dispensing with actuator-based selective admission, and a separable cartridge that aligns its outlet to the input location using sliding rails.
Stated Advantages
Not explicitly described in patent.
Documented Applications
Not explicitly described in patent.
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