Novel nitrogen filling device

Abstract

The utility model discloses a novel filling and nitrogen charging device, which relates to the technical field of filling equipment in pharmaceutical machinery and comprises a rack 16, a bottle feeding mechanism 1, a nitrogen charging station 10, a filling station 14 and a finished bottle discharging mechanism 17, and the bottle feeding mechanism 1, the nitrogen charging station 10, the filling station 14 and the finished bottle discharging mechanism 17 are sequentially arranged on the upper portion of the rack 16 from right to left. And the bottle feeding mechanism 1 and the finished bottle discharging mechanism 17 are respectively suspended at the right end and the left end of the upper part of the rack 16. The nitrogen filling machine has the characteristics of simple process, simple equipment structure, low use cost, relatively small occupied area of equipment, capability of greatly improving the quality of filled medicines and the like, and can be used for nitrogen filling of high-added-value products such as glucose, antibiotics, amino acid, fat emulsion, oral liquid, nutrient solution, biological agents and the like.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the technical field of filling equipment in pharmaceutical machinery, and in particular to a novel filling and nitrogen-filling device. Background Technology

[0002] As people's living standards continue to improve, customers have increasingly higher requirements for nitrogen-filled products, thus demanding higher levels of residual oxygen and dissolved oxygen in the final product. High-value-added products such as glucose, antibiotics, amino acids, fat emulsions, oral liquids, nutrient solutions, and biological agents have nitrogen gas filled into the gaps inside the bottles to extend their shelf life. This minimizes contact between air and the liquid, preventing chemical reactions between oxygen in the air and some active molecules in the liquid, which could lead to deterioration or changes in the composition of the drug.

[0003] The existing methods and equipment for nitrogen filling and purging mainly include the following:

[0004] One method is to directly fill the bottle with nitrogen using a nitrogen tube, resulting in a residual oxygen content of approximately 3%, without any requirements on dissolved oxygen.

[0005] Because this method involves filling the bottle with nitrogen, the liquid medicine comes into full contact with the air inside the bottle during the filling process, resulting in a high dissolved oxygen concentration. Therefore, it is suitable for filling and purging products with nitrogen where the residual oxygen content of the final product is not critical.

[0006] The second step is to fill the empty bottle with nitrogen, then fill it with the contents while simultaneously filling it with nitrogen. Then, vacuum the bottle, fill it with nitrogen, vacuum the bottle again, and fill it with nitrogen again. Adjust the number of repetitions according to the effect, and finally seal the bottle with a stopper.

[0007] This method is suitable for filling nitrogen-filled products that require high residual oxygen content and high dissolved oxygen content in the final product, with a residual oxygen content of ≤1%. It is also the mainstream production process for nitrogen-filled products at present.

[0008] Moreover, this method involves forming a sealed cavity between multiple moving parts and the container holding the medicine during the entire nitrogen-filling process. This sealed cavity is then repeatedly evacuated and filled with nitrogen to displace the air inside the bottle, ultimately replacing all the air in the sealed cavity with nitrogen, thus preventing oxygen from contacting the medicine. This nitrogen-filling process has the following main disadvantages:

[0009] First, the equipment has a complex structure, high precision requirements, is difficult to manufacture, has complex program control, and requires highly skilled operators.

[0010] Secondly, the vacuum control of the two vacuum systems, vacuum pumping and vacuum plugging, is very complicated, and plugs are prone to falling off, resulting in a low plugging success rate.

[0011] Third, during vacuuming, the vapor generated by the liquid medicine can easily be drawn into the vacuum pipe. After condensation, it remains in the vacuum pipe, which can lead to excessive particulate matter in the pipe. When filling with nitrogen, the particulate matter in the pipe may be blown back into the bottle, thus affecting the quality of the medicine.

[0012] Fourth, the liquid medicine inside the bottle is prone to shaking during transportation, which will increase the concentration of dissolved oxygen.

[0013] Third, the empty bottle is filled with nitrogen, then filled with more, and then filled with nitrogen again.

[0014] If this method is used at the same workstation, filling with nitrogen before filling will prolong the entire filling process, resulting in a decrease in production capacity per unit time. If it is used at two workstations, air will intrude during the transfer process, leading to an increase in dissolved oxygen in the solution.

[0015] Fourth, the empty bottle is filled with nitrogen, and then immediately filled with more nitrogen while filling the bottle.

[0016] If this method is used at the same workstation, filling with nitrogen before filling and simultaneously filling with nitrogen will also prolong the entire process time, resulting in a decrease in production capacity per unit time. Similarly, if it is used at two workstations, the dissolved oxygen content in the liquid will increase due to air intrusion during the transfer process.

[0017] Chinese Patent (Patent Application No. 202222936646.3) discloses a "Nitrogen Filling System for a Benchtop Machine," which uses nitrogen filling to protect the liquid medicine during the filling and capping processes. The system is simple and easy to use. It includes a benchtop machine body, on which a filling assembly and a capping assembly are sequentially arranged along the production line. The filling assembly includes a needle holder with a filling needle, and a nitrogen filling needle that works with the filling needle on the needle holder. The capping assembly has a nitrogen filler, and a nitrogen curtain injector is located on the benchtop machine body between the filling assembly and the capping assembly.

[0018] Another Chinese patent (patent application number 202223346530.0) discloses a "nitrogen filling device for bottles before and after filling," which includes: a vent pipe, a vent seat, a gas distribution plate, a nitrogen filling nozzle, and a bottle support plate. The vent seat and the gas distribution plate are respectively arranged around the vent pipe, and are positioned vertically. The vent seat has a nitrogen channel, and the gas distribution plate has a nitrogen channel. The nitrogen channel of the vent seat connects the nitrogen outlet of the vent pipe to one end of the nitrogen channel of the gas distribution plate, and the other end of the nitrogen channel of the gas distribution plate is connected to the nitrogen filling nozzle. The outlet of the nitrogen filling nozzle is positioned directly opposite the bottle support plate, and there is an adjustable bottle height space between the outlet of the nitrogen filling nozzle and the bottle support plate. Compared with the prior art, this utility model has a simple structure, low cost, and is very convenient to install, adjust, use, and maintain. It has stable and reliable performance and does not affect the filling efficiency. Using this utility model, the bottle can be filled with nitrogen multiple times before and after filling, which can prevent the drug from being excessively oxidized due to prolonged contact with air, thus affecting the quality of the drug.

[0019] Another Chinese patent (patent application number 201510607536.4) discloses a "vacuum-filling nitrogen-pressing device and production line," which includes a sleeve shaft comprising a coaxial outer shaft and an inner shaft that can slide relative to each other. The outer shaft is connected to a first lifting device, and a sealing joint for sealing with the bottle body is provided at the lower end of the outer shaft. The inner shaft is connected to a second lifting device, and an air passage is provided on the inner shaft, with a stopper seat communicating with the air passage at the lower end. A sealing assembly is provided between the inner and outer shafts, and a vacuum-filling nitrogen-pressing interface is provided on the side wall of the outer shaft between the sealing assembly and the sealing joint. Therefore, the aforementioned vacuum-filling nitrogen-pressing device can form a small sealed space at the bottle mouth. Through repeated vacuuming and nitrogen filling operations, the residual oxygen level can be precisely controlled. Furthermore, after nitrogen filling, the stoppering operation is immediately performed in this sealed space, avoiding the reintroduction of oxygen during bottle transportation, reducing the defect rate, lowering production costs, and improving production efficiency. This invention also discloses a vacuum-filling nitrogen-pressing production line. Summary of the Invention

[0020] In view of the shortcomings of the existing technology, the technical problem to be solved by this utility model is to provide a method and equipment for filling and filling nitrogen gas that is simple in process, simple in equipment structure, low in operating cost, relatively small in equipment footprint, and can significantly improve the quality of filled medicines.

[0021] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, the technical solution adopted by this utility model is to design a novel filling and nitrogen-filling device, which includes a frame 16, a bottle inlet mechanism 1, a nitrogen-filling station 10, a filling station 14, and a finished bottle outlet mechanism 17. The bottle inlet mechanism 1, the nitrogen-filling station 10, the filling station 14, and the finished bottle outlet mechanism 17 are arranged sequentially from right to left on the upper part of the frame 16. The bottle inlet mechanism 1 and the finished bottle outlet mechanism 17 are respectively suspended at the right and left ends of the upper part of the frame 16.

[0022] The nitrogen filling station 10 includes a stoppering and pressing mechanism 7, a nitrogen filling mechanism 5, and a bottle transfer mechanism 6. The left and right ends of the bottle transfer mechanism 6 are respectively connected to the right end of the filling station 14 and the left end of the bottle inlet mechanism 1. The stoppering and pressing mechanism 7 and the nitrogen filling mechanism 5 are located on the upper part of the bottle transfer mechanism 6, and a stoppering and pressing head 8 is provided on the lower part of the stoppering and pressing mechanism 7.

[0023] The filling station 14 includes a stopper removal and pressing mechanism 11, a filling and nitrogen filling mechanism 12, and a bottle outlet mechanism 15. The left and right ends of the bottle outlet mechanism 15 are respectively connected to the right end of the finished bottle outlet mechanism 17 and the left end of the bottle transfer mechanism 6 of the nitrogen filling station 10. The stopper removal and pressing mechanism 11 and the filling and nitrogen filling mechanism 12 are arranged on the upper part of the bottle outlet mechanism 15, and the stopper removal and pressing mechanism 11 is provided with a stopper removal and pressing head 13 at the lower part of the stopper removal and pressing mechanism 11.

[0024] A pre-nitrogen filling station 4 is also provided between the bottle inlet mechanism 1 and the nitrogen filling station 10. The pre-nitrogen filling station 4 also includes a pre-nitrogen filling mechanism 3, which is located on the upper part of the bottle inlet mechanism 1.

[0025] The bottle transfer mechanism 6 is a linear conveying mechanism.

[0026] The bottle dispensing mechanism 15 is a linear conveying mechanism.

[0027] The bottle feeding mechanism 1 is a linear conveying mechanism.

[0028] The finished bottle dispensing mechanism 17 is a linear conveying mechanism.

[0029] The novel nitrogen filling and charging device of this utility model has the following technical advantages compared with existing similar technologies and equipment:

[0030] First, it adopts a linear conveying method, which is simple in structure and easy to maintain; it can easily meet the action requirements of each workstation.

[0031] Secondly, the process is simple, eliminating the vacuuming step and optimizing mechanical operations; it also reduces the floor space occupied by the machinery; at the same time, it saves the air conditioning purification area and reduces operating costs.

[0032] Third, there is no vacuuming action, which avoids the vapor generated by the medicine being drawn into the vacuum pipe during vacuuming, and remaining in the pipe after condensation, which may cause the particles in the pipe to exceed the standard. When filling with nitrogen, the particles in the pipe may be blown back into the bottle, thus affecting the quality of the medicine.

[0033] Fourth, it integrates filling, nitrogen filling, and stoppering into one unit. It adopts jacketed tube filling and nitrogen protection during filling to keep the liquid medicine isolated from the air at all times. After filling, it is immediately stoppered, which reduces the time that the liquid medicine is exposed to the air and reduces the handover between the dials, thereby effectively improving the qualification rate and quality of the medicine.

[0034] Fifth, compared to existing rotary conveying structures, which are prone to generating vortex phenomena in laminar airflow, thus affecting the effectiveness of laminar airflow, the present invention, which adopts a linear conveying structure, can better reflect the protective effect of laminar airflow. Attached Figure Description

[0035] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of this utility model.

[0036] In the diagram: 1 is the bottle feeding mechanism, 2 is the liquid bottle, 3 is the pre-nitrogen filling mechanism, 4 is the pre-nitrogen filling station, 5 is the nitrogen filling mechanism, 6 is the bottle transfer mechanism, 7 is the stopper feeding and pressing mechanism, 8 is the stopper feeding and pressing head, 9 is the bottle stopper, 10 is the nitrogen filling station, 11 is the stopper removal and pressing mechanism, 12 is the filling and nitrogen filling mechanism, 13 is the stopper removal and pressing head, 14 is the filling station, 15 is the bottle discharging mechanism, 16 is the frame, and 17 is the finished bottle discharging mechanism. Detailed Implementation

[0037] The present invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. The following description is by way of example, but the scope of protection of the present invention should not be limited thereto.

[0038] The orientations described in this specification and in the accompanying drawings are as follows:

[0039] Figure 1 The front is the actual front, the inside is the actual back; the top is the actual top, the bottom is the actual bottom; the left and right are the actual left and right sides respectively.

[0040] Example 1:

[0041] The novel filling and nitrogen-filling device of this embodiment consists of a frame 16, a bottle inlet mechanism 1, a nitrogen-filling station 10, a filling station 14, and a finished bottle outlet mechanism 17. The bottle inlet mechanism 1, the nitrogen-filling station 10, the filling station 14, and the finished bottle outlet mechanism 17 are arranged sequentially from right to left on the upper part of the frame 16, wherein the bottle inlet mechanism 1 and the finished bottle outlet mechanism 17 are respectively suspended at the right and left ends of the upper part of the frame 16.

[0042] The nitrogen filling station 10 consists of a stoppering and pressing mechanism 7, a nitrogen filling mechanism 5, and a bottle transfer mechanism 6. The left and right ends of the bottle transfer mechanism 6 are respectively connected to the right end of the filling station 14 and the left end of the bottle inlet mechanism 1. The stoppering and pressing mechanism 7 and the nitrogen filling mechanism 5 are both located on the upper part of the bottle transfer mechanism 6, and the nitrogen filling mechanism 5 is located on the lower part of the stoppering and pressing mechanism 7. A stoppering and pressing head 8 is also provided on the lower part of the stoppering and pressing mechanism 7.

[0043] The filling station 14 consists of a stopper-removing and pressing mechanism 11, a filling and nitrogen-filling mechanism 12, and a bottle-discharging mechanism 15. The left and right ends of the bottle-discharging mechanism 15 are respectively connected to the right end of the finished bottle discharging mechanism 17 and the left end of the bottle-moving mechanism 6 of the nitrogen-filling station 10. The stopper-removing and pressing mechanism 11 and the filling and nitrogen-filling mechanism 12 are both located on the upper part of the bottle-discharging mechanism 15, and the filling and nitrogen-filling mechanism 12 is located on the lower part of the stopper-removing and pressing mechanism 11. A stopper-removing and pressing head 13 is also provided on the lower part of the stopper-removing and pressing mechanism 11.

[0044] The bottle feeding mechanism 1, stopper feeding and pressing mechanism 7, nitrogen filling mechanism 5, stopper feeding and pressing head 8, bottle transferring mechanism 6, stopper removal and pressing mechanism 11, filling and nitrogen filling mechanism 12, stopper removal and pressing head 13, bottle dispensing mechanism 15, and finished bottle dispensing mechanism 17 used in this embodiment are all commonly used existing components. The bottle transferring mechanism 6, bottle dispensing mechanism 15, and finished bottle dispensing mechanism 17 all adopt linear conveying mechanisms.

[0045] In use, firstly, the clean medicine bottle 2 is fed from the right end of the bottle inlet mechanism 1 to the left into the nitrogen filling station 10, the stopper inlet and stopper press head 8 of the stopper inlet and press mechanism 7, and the lower part of the nitrogen filling mechanism 5. At the same time, the stopper 9 is also conveyed by the stopper inlet and press mechanism 7 to the lower end of the stopper inlet and press head 8. Then, the nitrogen filling mechanism 5, which is placed on the upper part of the medicine bottle 2, is inserted downward into the medicine bottle 2 to begin filling the bottle with nitrogen gas (the time is usually controlled between 1-10 seconds, and the nitrogen pressure is 5K). After the nitrogen gas in the bottle is filled (Pa-50KPa), the nitrogen filling mechanism 5 is pulled upwards. Then, the stopper pressing head 8 quickly presses its lower end of the stopper 9 into the mouth of the medicine bottle 2. At this time, the medicine bottle 2 is filled with nitrogen gas. Afterwards, the bottle transfer mechanism 6 transfers the nitrogen-filled medicine bottle 2 to the filling station 14, to the stopper pressing head 13 at the bottom of the stopper pressing mechanism 11 and the lower part of the filling and nitrogen filling mechanism 12. During this transfer process, due to the nitrogen gas... The bottle mouth of liquid bottle 2 is sealed with stopper 9, thus preventing nitrogen gas inside the bottle from escaping. Next, the stopper-removing and pressing head 13 at the lower part of the stopper-removing and pressing mechanism 11 moves downwards to the upper end of liquid bottle 2, allowing the lower end of the stopper-removing and pressing head 13 to contact and hold the stopper 9 at the upper end of liquid bottle 2. Then, the stopper-removing and pressing head 13 removes the stopper 9 and moves it upwards along with the stopper 9. Following this, the filling and nitrogen-filling mechanism 12 is inserted downwards into the liquid bottle whose stopper 9 has been removed. In liquid bottle 2, the medicine begins to be poured into the bottle. Simultaneously, the filling and nitrogen-filling mechanism 12 simultaneously fills the bottle with nitrogen gas to prevent outside air from entering due to its greater density. Furthermore, since the bottle is already filled with nitrogen, and nitrogen is continuously added during the filling process, the medicine has virtually no contact with air, resulting in very little residual oxygen in the filled solution. Once the prescribed dosage of medicine is reached, the filling and nitrogen-filling mechanism 12 is withdrawn upwards. Simultaneously, the stopper removal and pressing head 13, carrying the previously removed stopper 9, quickly moves downwards to the upper part of liquid bottle 2 and presses the stopper 9 (the original stopper) back into the bottle opening, completing the filling and sealing process. At this point, nitrogen gas remains in the upper cavity of the bottle to protect the medicine. Subsequently, the bottle dispensing mechanism 15 transfers the filled and sealed medicine bottle 2 to the finished product bottle dispensing mechanism 17 on its left side, and the finished product bottle dispensing mechanism 17 delivers it out. Since the bottle inlet mechanism 1, the bottle transfer mechanism 6, and the bottle dispensing mechanism 15 all adopt linear conveying mechanisms, laminar airflow will not generate vortex phenomena within the entire working chamber of the equipment.

[0046] Example 2:

[0047] The novel filling and nitrogen-filling device of this embodiment is an improvement on Embodiment 1. The difference between Embodiment 1 and Embodiment 1 is that a pre-nitrogen-filling station 4 is provided between the bottle-feeding mechanism 1 and the nitrogen-filling station 10 (i.e., at the tail end of the bottle-feeding mechanism 1, or at the left end of the bottle-feeding mechanism 1). A pre-nitrogen-filling mechanism 3 is also provided in this pre-nitrogen-filling station 4, located at the upper part of the left end of the bottle-feeding mechanism 1. In this pre-nitrogen-filling station 4, the transfer of the medicine bottle 2 still relies on the bottle-feeding mechanism 1.

[0048] In use, firstly, the clean medicine bottle 2 is sent from the right end of the bottle inlet mechanism 1 to the left to the pre-nitrogen filling station 4, and the lower part of the pre-nitrogen filling mechanism 3; then, the pre-nitrogen filling mechanism 3, which is placed on the upper part of the medicine bottle 2, is inserted downward into the medicine bottle 2 and begins to fill the bottle with nitrogen (the time is usually controlled within 1-5 seconds, and the nitrogen pressure is 5KPa-50KPa). After the bottle is basically filled with nitrogen, the pre-nitrogen filling mechanism 3 is pulled upward. At this time, the medicine bottle 2 is filled with nitrogen, which can prevent it from carrying air during the subsequent process of being sent to the nitrogen filling station 10; then, the medicine bottle 2, which has been pre-filled with nitrogen, is sent to the left by the bottle inlet mechanism 1 to the nitrogen filling station 10.

[0049] The subsequent nitrogen filling and plugging steps are basically the same as in Example 1, and will not be described again here.

[0050] The present invention discloses a novel method and equipment for filling and protecting pharmaceutical solutions with nitrogen, which can be used for nitrogen filling of high value-added products such as glucose, antibiotics, amino acids, fat emulsions, oral liquids, nutrient solutions and biological agents.

Claims

1. A novel nitrogen filling and charging device, characterized in that: The machine includes a frame (16), a bottle inlet mechanism (1), a nitrogen filling station (10), a filling station (14), and a finished bottle outlet mechanism (17). The bottle inlet mechanism (1), the nitrogen filling station (10), the filling station (14), and the finished bottle outlet mechanism (17) are arranged sequentially from right to left on the upper part of the frame (16). The bottle inlet mechanism (1) and the finished bottle outlet mechanism (17) are respectively suspended at the right and left ends of the upper part of the frame (16).

2. The novel filling and nitrogen-filling device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The nitrogen filling station (10) includes a stoppering and pressing mechanism (7), a nitrogen filling mechanism (5), and a bottle transfer mechanism (6); the left and right ends of the bottle transfer mechanism (6) are respectively connected to the right end of the filling station (14) and the left end of the bottle inlet mechanism (1), the stoppering and pressing mechanism (7) and the nitrogen filling mechanism (5) are located on the upper part of the bottle transfer mechanism (6), and the stoppering and pressing mechanism (7) is provided with a stoppering and pressing head (8) at the lower part of the stoppering and pressing mechanism (7).

3. The novel filling and nitrogen-filling device according to claim 2, characterized in that: The filling station (14) includes a stopper-removing and pressing mechanism (11), a filling and nitrogen-filling mechanism (12), and a bottle-discharging mechanism (15). The left and right ends of the bottle-discharging mechanism (15) are respectively connected to the right end of the finished bottle discharging mechanism (17) and the left end of the bottle-moving mechanism (6) of the nitrogen-filling station (10). The stopper-removing and pressing mechanism (11) and the filling and nitrogen-filling mechanism (12) are located on the upper part of the bottle-discharging mechanism (15). The lower part of the stopper-removing and pressing mechanism (11) is provided with a stopper-removing and pressing head (13).

4. The novel filling and nitrogen-filling device according to claim 3, characterized in that: A pre-nitrogen filling station (4) is also provided between the bottle feeding mechanism (1) and the nitrogen filling station (10). The pre-nitrogen filling station (4) also includes a pre-nitrogen filling mechanism (3), which is located on the upper part of the bottle feeding mechanism (1).

5. The novel filling and nitrogen-filling device according to any one of claims 2-4, characterized in that: The bottle transfer mechanism (6) is a linear conveying mechanism.

6. The novel filling and nitrogen-filling device according to claim 5, characterized in that: The bottle dispensing mechanism (15) is a linear conveying mechanism.

7. The novel filling and nitrogen-filling device according to claim 6, characterized in that: The bottle feeding mechanism (1) is a linear conveying mechanism.

8. The novel filling and nitrogen-filling device according to claim 7, characterized in that: The finished bottle dispensing mechanism (17) is a linear conveying mechanism.

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