System for conveying articles

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a system (100) for conveying articles (200) in a sterile environment, comprising at least one conveyor belt (10), a first side wall portion (20) and a second side wall portion (30). The conveyor belt (10) and the first side wall portion (20) and the second side wall portion (30) define a conveyor path portion. In addition, at least one of the first side wall portion (20) and the second side wall portion (30) is a displaceable wall portion and is configured to adjust a width of the conveying path portion to a width of the conveyed article (200). Further, the displaceable wall portion comprises a guided portion (50) configured to be displaced along the guide (60), where the guided portion (50) and the guide (60) are configured to be sterilized according to the GMP standard.

Description

[0001] This application claims the benefit of European patent application number EP22382316.2 filed on April 4, 2022. Technical Field

[0002] The present disclosure relates to methods and systems for conveying articles. The present disclosure relates more particularly to methods and systems for conveying articles including displaceable wall portions configured to adjust the width of a conveyor. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to methods and systems for conveying articles in a sterile environment. Background Art

[0003] In order to reduce the cost of production of products that need to be processed under sterile conditions, such as drugs and pharmaceuticals, it is often necessary to automate the processes associated with handling containers containing these products.

[0004] A sterile environment is a necessary condition for the development and production of biotechnological and pharmaceutical products. The sterile environment and any tasks for handling the corresponding products within it must comply with the standards of Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP). These GMP standards relate to the production, processing, packaging or storage of pharmaceutical products. In this regard, there are several standards applicable to equipment in sterile environments, for example, see EU GMP Part 1, Annex 1 and Annex 15 or 21 CFR Part 211, Subpart D (effective in March 2022). There are also several equipment design guidelines, such as ASME BPE, which summarizes comprehensive rules.

[0005] These standards and regulations require that the aseptic environment should be provided with equipment for adequately controlling, in particular, air pressure, microorganisms, dust, humidity and temperature. In addition, these standards also state that an air filtration system must be used for the air supply to the production area. It is also generally required to take measures to control the recirculation of particulate matter (i.e., dust and / or microorganisms). Therefore, adequate systems must be provided to control contaminants, such as particulate matter from moving parts or from lubrication systems.

[0006] A common approach to automating the transport of vials and other containers intended to store medications and drugs inside a sterile environment is through the use of automated conveyor systems. However, conveyors operating in such sterile environments must meet certain requirements that may not be relevant in other manufacturing environments.

[0007] Known conveyor systems for aseptic environments typically include side walls that guide the product along the conveying direction and limit the lateral movement of the product. The distance between the side walls is typically selected such as to substantially match the width of the product and to leave only a small margin on each side of the product. Thus, the product can be transported in a single line along the conveyor, and the position of the product across the conveyor in a certain direction can be at least partially controlled. Examples of such conveyor systems can be arranged between a vial filling station and a freeze drying station, or between a freeze drying station and a capping station.

[0008] In some cases, the operator of the sterile environment may require the delivery of new products with different sizes. Referring to the previous example, after a batch of vials of a first size has been prepared and shipped, the filling station may begin filling a batch of larger vials with a larger amount of content. When this happens, in order to be able to transport the vials from the vial filling station to, for example, a freeze drying station, the conveying system needs to be adapted so that the sidewalls substantially match the width of the new product.

[0009] To do this, the cleanroom operator typically stops the conveyor line, removes the side walls of the conveyor system, and installs other side walls that leave gaps between them that correspond substantially to the width of the new product. Obviously, these new components must be sterilized before they can be used in that environment. This results in a tedious and time-consuming task that requires manual labor and may even extend the contamination of the sterile environment by introducing additional components (i.e., side walls) and operators entering and exiting the sterile environment.

[0010] The present disclosure provides systems and methods that at least partially overcome some of the aforementioned disadvantages. Summary of the invention

[0011] In a first aspect of the present disclosure, a system for conveying articles in a sterile environment is provided. The system for conveying articles comprises a conveyor belt, a first side wall portion, a second side wall portion and an actuator. The conveyor belt and the first side wall portion and the second side wall portion define a conveying path portion. In addition, at least one of the first side wall portion and the second side wall portion is a displaceable wall portion. Therefore, at least one displaceable wall portion is configured to adjust the width of the conveying path portion to the width of the article being conveyed. The actuator is configured to move the displaceable wall portion so that the displaceable wall portion is maintained parallel to the displaceable wall portion facing it. In addition, the displaceable wall portion comprises a guided portion, which is configured to be displaced along a guide.

[0012] According to this aspect, the system for conveying articles allows the same sidewall section to be used to safely convey articles of different sizes. If another batch of articles is to be conveyed, the operator of the conveyor does not need to replace components of the system (i.e., the sidewall section) to adapt the width of the conveying path section.

[0013] This can considerably reduce waiting times during production or handling of receptacles and products of different sizes, and can also reduce the aforementioned contamination associated with operators changing side wall sections.

[0014] According to this aspect, the conveying path portion maintains a constant width along its length for practical purposes, ie the wall portion is maintained parallel to the wall portion it faces (which may also be displaceable or non-displaceable). The displaceable wall portion may in particular be movable in a straight path.

[0015] In an example, the guided part and the guide are configured to be sterilizable according to GMP standards.

[0016] In addition, the disclosed system is suitable for use in a sterile environment. More precisely, the guided portion of the displaceable wall and the corresponding guide are configured to be cleaned and sterilized according to GMP standards. Therefore, both the guided portion and the guide are configured to limit debris deposition and are easy to clean and sterilize. These components substantially avoid difficult-to-reach areas and may not include porous or mesh materials. More precisely, the guided portion and the guide are configured in such a way that they can be effectively cleaned using a cloth containing a disinfecting solution (such as distilled water or a solution containing alcohol).

[0017] In the present disclosure, an actuator can be considered as a component responsible for moving and controlling a mechanism or system. That is, in the present disclosure, an actuator is an element that (directly or indirectly) moves a sidewall portion of a conveying system. An actuator is powered or forced to move by a drive.

[0018] In this disclosure, a drive may be considered as a source of energy or power that supplies an actuator to move a mechanism and control the movement of the mechanism. The drive may be, for example, an electric motor.

[0019] Throughout this disclosure, "sterile" may be understood to mean that the environment is free from contamination by particles and / or harmful bacteria, viruses, or other microorganisms, and in certain circumstances may mean that the environment is surgically sterile or sterilized.

[0020] Throughout this disclosure, "disinfect" may be understood to mean making something clean and free of germs, and may include sterilization.

[0021] In a second aspect, a method for adjusting the width of a conveying system in a sterile environment is provided. The conveying system includes a conveyor belt, a first side wall portion and a second side wall portion. The provided method includes displacing at least one of the first side wall portion and the second side wall portion so that the distance between the first side wall portion and the second side wall portion is modified. In addition, the step of displacing at least one of the first side wall portion and the second side wall portion is performed by an actuator that moves the side wall portion. In addition, at least one side wall portion includes a guided portion that is configured to be displaced along a guide. In addition, the guided portion and the guide are configured to be cleaned and sterilized according to GMP standards.

[0022] Throughout this disclosure, sterile environments are understood to be those environments that comply with good manufacturing practices (GMP) for sterile pharmaceutical products. GMP for sterile pharmaceutical products includes standards for cleaning, sterilization, air filtration, clean air monitoring, microbial and particle cleanliness of air and surfaces, etc.

[0023] Throughout this disclosure, cleaning according to "GMP standards" should be understood as general provisions regarding sterile environments, as can be found, for example, in EU GMP Part 1, Annex 1 and Annex 15 or 21 CFR Part 211, Subpart D (effective in March 2022). More precisely, components configured to be cleaned according to GMP standards should be understood as components made of suitable materials and having certain geometric conditions that allow effective cleaning and disinfection. In this context, suitable materials can be understood as materials that allow to achieve sufficiently low levels of surface particle concentration, i.e., the number of individual particles per unit surface area is small. This parameter may also depend on the surface finish, electrostatic load capacity and others. In addition, suitable materials can be highly resistant to chemical reactions, such as stainless steel, polytetrafluoroethylene (Teflon TM ), polyvinylidene, polypropylene, polyetheretherketone or perfluoroalkoxyalkane. In addition, the parts configured to be cleaned according to GMP standards may not include shapes and surfaces that tend to accumulate contaminants on the surface area of ​​the parts, such as, for example, blind holes.

[0024] Thus, in this particular context, the guide(s) and guided portion(s) of the side wall may be made of one of the suitable materials mentioned above. Similarly, the side walls on either side of the conveyor belt(s) may also be made of such materials. And generally, all components used in a sterile environment may be made of such materials.

[0025] Additional objects, advantages, and features of the embodiments of the present disclosure will become apparent to those skilled in the art after reviewing the specification, or may be learned through practice. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0026] Non-limiting examples of the present disclosure will be described hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0027] Figure 1 schematically illustrates a perspective view of an example of a conveying system according to the present disclosure, and in particular, illustrates a linear conveying portion of the system;

[0028] Figure 2 Schematically shows Figure 1 A perspective view of an example of a curved conveying portion of a system in FIG.

[0029] Figure 3 Schematically shows Figure 1 and Figure 2 Detailed view of a system in , showing an example of an actuator and associated parts according to the present disclosure;

[0030] Figure 4 schematically illustrates a cross-sectional view of an example of a guide and guide portion according to another system of the present disclosure;

[0031] Figure 5 schematically illustrates a perspective view of additional examples of guides and guide portions according to another system of the present disclosure;

[0032] Figure 6 Schematically shows Figures 1 to 3 A perspective view of an example of a discard unit of the system shown in ; and

[0033] Figure 7 A block diagram showing an example of a method according to the present disclosure is shown. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0034] Reference will now be made in detail to embodiments of the present disclosure, one or more examples of which are shown in the accompanying drawings. Each example is provided by way of explanation and not as a limitation. In fact, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations may be made in the present disclosure without departing from the scope or spirit of this teaching. For example, a feature shown or described as a part of an embodiment may be used together with another embodiment to produce yet another embodiment. Therefore, it is intended that the present disclosure encompass such modifications and variations within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents. Generally, the same reference numerals have been used to represent the same or similar elements across the drawings.

[0035] Figures 1 to 3 An example of a system 100 for transporting an object 200 in a sterile environment according to the present disclosure is schematically illustrated. Figure 1 A first section of the system 100 is shown including a linear conveying portion, and Figure 2The curved conveyor section is shown, and Figure 3 A drive arrangement arranged underneath a conveying path is disclosed. The following description relates to Figures 1 to 3 .

[0036] The system 100 includes at least one conveyor belt 10, a first side wall portion 20 and a second side wall portion 30. The at least one conveyor belt 10 and the first side wall portion 20 and the second side wall portion 30 define a conveying path portion. At least one of the first side wall portion 20 and the second side wall portion 30 is a displaceable wall portion. The (one or more) displaceable wall portions are configured to adjust the width of the conveying path portion to the width of the conveyed article 200.

[0037] It is noteworthy that system 100 may include more than one conveyor belt. A plurality of conveyor belts may be arranged to provide a path from one workstation to the next workstation. Each of the conveyor belts may transport articles along a straight line. At or near the end of such conveyor belts, another conveyor belt may be arranged to transport articles in addition, possibly in different directions. Suitable transitions, such as rotating discs or plates as described below, may be arranged between conveyor belts that are arranged to transport (one or more) articles in different directions. In an example, the conveyor belts may be arranged to be arranged substantially parallel, i.e., to create a wider conveying area. Such an arrangement may, for example, be used in combination with a discard unit as described below.

[0038] The system 100 comprises an actuator 72 configured to move the displaceable wall portion on a linear path. Furthermore, the displaceable wall portion comprises a guided portion 50 configured to be displaced along a guide 60. Both the guided portion 50 and the guide 60 are configured to be cleaned according to GMP standards.

[0039] In this example, the actuator 72 moves the bar 76 on which the guided part 50 is mounted. The bar 76 is further connected to the upright rod 40. The upright rod 40 is mechanically connected to the displaceable wall part at its distal end. Since the guided part 50 is arranged along the guide 60, the movement of the actuator 72 will cause a linear movement of the displaceable wall part.

[0040] In other examples, the guided portion may be part of the actuator itself.

[0041] The actuator 72 may be driven by a driver 70, which may be, for example, an electric motor. When a new batch of articles is to be transported that is different in size (and in particular in width) from the previous articles, the operator may set a new width. For example, a touch screen or any other type of user interface may be used. Once the system 100 registers the new width, a control signal is sent to the driver 70 (and other drivers of the same conveyor system 100) to drive the actuator 72 so that the width of the conveying section is adapted.

[0042] The first side wall portion 20 or the second side wall portion 30 or both side wall portions can be driven to adjust the width of the conveying path. In such a case, each of the side wall portions 20 , 30 can have an independent actuator and an independent drive 70 .

[0043] In this example, article 200 can be a medicine bottle or a small bottle. They can be transported when partially opened or closed, and can contain, for example, a biological or pharmaceutical composition. In one example, article 200 can be a medicine bottle containing a liquid composition, which is transported toward a freeze drying system.

[0044] In these examples, the guide(s), by themselves or in combination with other guides, only allow linear displacement, ie the system has only one degree of freedom.

[0045] exist Figure 1 In the example shown in FIG. 1 , the first side wall portion 20 and the second side wall portion 30 may be made of at least one of the following: stainless steel, polytetrafluoroethylene (Teflon TM ), polyvinylidene, polypropylene, polyetheretherketone, perfluoroalkoxyalkanes, although other suitable materials may also be used. These materials have excellent chemical resistance and can be used to manufacture parts with relatively smooth surface finishes and customized geometries. These features limit the accumulation of debris and simplify the task of cleaning and sterilizing them. The measurement of surface finish can be determined by the arithmetic mean roughness (i.e., Ra) or the geometric mean roughness (i.e., root mean square). In addition, many instruments can be used to determine the surface roughness, including averaging instruments and surface profile instruments. The first sidewall portion 20 and the second sidewall portion 30 can have a surface roughness of approximately less than 0.8 μm (arithmetic mean roughness), specifically less than 0,2 μm (arithmetic mean roughness), and more specifically less than 0,1 μm (arithmetic mean roughness), which is obtained with a conservative measuring instrument (i.e., a surface profile instrument), or if obtained with an averaging instrument that is not sensitive to surface waviness, it can have even smaller values.

[0046] Figures 1 to 3The example also shows an actuator 72, which can be arranged at a lower vertical level than the neck 201 of the article. In particular, the entire transmission from the drive to the guided part, including any connecting rods in between, can be arranged at a lower vertical level than the neck 201 of the article 200 to be conveyed. This arrangement reduces the risk of particulate matter generated or put into the air circulation by the actuator 72 (or other elements connected to the actuator 72, and in particular further elements arranged between the drive and the actuator) reaching the interior of the reservoir 200. When such an arrangement is set in a clean room with vertical airflow, the probability of particles from the actuator 72 reaching the interior of the reservoir 200 is reduced even more. For example, the conveying system 100 according to the present disclosure can be used in an environment with a stratified air flow ceiling.

[0047] Figure 2 Another section of a system 100 for transporting an object 200 in a sterile environment according to the present disclosure is schematically illustrated. More specifically, Figure 2 1 shows a curved section of the system 100. Thus, the system 100 may define a straight conveying section ( Figure 1 ) and curved conveying sections.

[0048] The system may also include an additional straight conveying section arranged downstream of the curved conveying section. For example, the first straight conveying section may form an angle of approximately 90 degrees with the additional straight conveying section. Between the first straight conveying section and the additional straight conveying section, a curved conveying section may be arranged. In some examples, the first conveying section may include a first conveyor belt, additional conveying sections, additional conveyor belts, and a rotating circular plate with an independent drive may connect the first conveying section and the additional conveying section.

[0049] In this example, the straight conveying section may include a first displaceable wall portion, i.e., at least one of the side wall portions as previously presented; and the curved conveying section may include a second displaceable wall portion, i.e., at least one of the curved side wall portions 20, 30. A curved side wall portion may be considered herein as a side wall portion having at least a curved portion. A curved side wall portion may have a side wall of constant curvature, and in other examples, a curved side wall portion may have a side wall with a straight portion and one or more curved portions (e.g., a curved end portion).

[0050] The example Figure 2The system 100 in FIG. 1 shows that the curved conveying section also includes a curved wall portion with a curved end 20, which is arranged in a staggered configuration relative to an adjacent wall portion 25. In this example, the adjacent wall portion 25 is a wall portion with a curved end, but in other embodiments, the adjacent wall portion 25 can be a straight wall portion. This arrangement between the wall portions 20, 25 allows them to move in different directions to adjust the width of the conveying path portion without generating a gap between them in the horizontal direction. Each of the side wall portions 20, 25 can be driven linearly (i.e., on a straight path).

[0051] In some examples, the curved wall portion 20 may have two ends 21, 22 arranged below the respective ends of the adjacent wall portion 25, wherein both ends 21, 22 are located above the respective ends of the adjacent wall portion, or one end 21 is located below the respective ends of the adjacent wall portion 25 and the other end 22 is located above the respective ends. In examples, each end 21, 22 may be mechanically connected to the respective end of the adjacent wall portion 25, i.e., with a rotatable connection, to allow relative movement between the wall portions 20, 25 and to facilitate synchronous movement.

[0052] Figure 2 Also shown is a drive system 90 for the conveyor belt 10. In this example, the reservoir 200 is transitioned from the first conveyor belt 10 to the second conveyor belt by means of a rotating element (such as a disk or plate, not shown separately) that rotates in a plane defined by the first and second conveyor belts. Alternatively, other systems may be used to transition the reservoir 200 from one conveyor belt to another.

[0053] Figure 3 Schematically illustrates a detailed view of an actuator 72 and a corresponding drive 70 of a system 100 according to the present invention. More specifically, Figure 3 The illustrated system 100 may include a driver 70 disposed at a lower vertical level than the actuator 72 .

[0054] also, Figure 3 71. The embodiment in FIG. 7 shows that the driver 70 is enclosed in a housing 71. The arrangement of the housing 71 and the driver 70 below the actuator 72 reduces the possibility of contamination of the contents of the conveyed item, i.e., even if particles or dust are generated by the driver 70 or the actuator 72 or thrown into the air circulation, such particles can be prevented from reaching the interior of the item 200, especially when used in combination with a stratified air flow ceiling. The housing 71 can be made of, for example, stainless steel.

[0055] The system 100 may include one or more rotatable links 74 configured to connect the actuator 72 to a bar 76 on which the guided portion 50 is mounted and to facilitate conversion of the rotation of the actuator 72 into linear motion of the upright rod 40 and, as a result, into linear motion of the displaceable wall portion. In this example, the actuator 72 is oriented substantially vertically, but other orientations and rotatable links 74 may be used to convert the rotation of the actuator 72 into linear horizontal motion of the upright rod 40.

[0056] The use of rotatable links and / or rotatable actuators (rather than gears or pistons) makes the system more suitable for a sterile environment because the geometry of these components avoids blind holes, hard-to-clean areas, etc. Additionally, liquid or pasty lubricants (e.g., greases, oils) should be avoided as much as possible in a sterile environment.

[0057] Figure 4 A cross-sectional view of a guide 60 and a guided portion 50 of a displaceable wall portion according to the present disclosure is schematically shown. In the example shown, the displaceable wall portion (not shown) includes two guided portions 50, and the guided portions 50 are configured to be displaced along the corresponding guide 60. Figure 4 In the embodiment, the geometry of the guide 60 and the guided portion 50 is faceted, but a geometry with a curved cross section may also be used. Note that the edges of the guided portion 50 and the guide 60 have been shown as if they do not contact each other to reduce confusion.

[0058] in addition, Figure 4 The guide 60 shown may have an open cross section, i.e. the guided portion 50 is a "cantilever" mounted in a separate guide 60. This improves the accessibility and therefore the cleanability of the guide 60, i.e. the guide 60 may be cleaned using a cleaning device compatible with a sterile environment (such as a cloth or other). A second guide 60 may be provided having an open cross section facing the open side of the first guide 60. The guided portion 50 may be guided by both the first guide and the second guide 60.

[0059] In this example, the open cross section of the guide 60 is defined by an open line 61, i.e., the open line extends from a first end 62 of the open cross section to a second end 63 of the open cross section along the perimeter of the guide 60. In addition, a ratio defined by the length of the open line 61 to the shortest distance between the first end 62 and the second end 63 of the open line (shown as a broken line) can be less than 2.2, specifically less than 2, and more specifically less than 1.75.

[0060] In an example, the guide 60 can have a substantially axisymmetric geometry. In addition, the guide 60 can be rotatably mounted, for example, the guide 60 can be configured to rotate around the support 66. The guide 60 can thus rotate when the guided portion is moved by the corresponding (one or more) actuators. The rotation of the guide 60 relative to the guided portion 50 allows the surfaces of the two components (i.e., the guide 60 and the guided portion 50) to be cleaned without disassembling them. This configuration can prevent the presence of difficult-to-reach contact surfaces where debris can accumulate and contaminate the rest of the system.

[0061] In some examples, the circumference of the guide member 60 may be substantially smaller than the length of the path of the guided portion 50. More specifically, the length of the path of the guided portion 50 may be at least 2 times, and more specifically at least 5 times, the circumference. This allows for effective cleaning of the guide member 60 that rotates with the linear motion of the guided portion 50 and reduces potential accumulation of debris inside the guide member 60.

[0062] Figure 5 Another example of a system 100 according to the present disclosure is shown. In this example, the system 100 includes a first sidewall portion 20 and a second sidewall portion 30. In addition, the first sidewall portion 20 is a displaceable sidewall portion that is mechanically connected to the upright portion 40. In addition, the system 100 includes an actuator 72 as part of a linear slide mechanism.

[0063] The first side wall portion 20 includes a guided portion 50 with a through hole 53 having a defined depth and circumference. In this case, the guide member 60 is a rod configured to be inserted into the corresponding through hole 53 to guide the displacement of the guided portion. In this example, the guided portion 50 includes two through holes 53, and the corresponding guide member 60 is configured to be inserted through the two through holes, but the number of guided portions and guide members may vary.

[0064] In other examples, the guide 60 may include a through hole, and the guided portion 50 may be configured to be inserted into the through hole.

[0065] In the example, the length of the path of the guided portion 50 is greater than the depth of the through hole 53, specifically at least 5 times, and more specifically at least 10 times, of the depth of the through hole 53. This effectively cleans the guide 60 traveling along the through hole 53 and reduces the potential accumulation of debris inside the through hole 53.

[0066] Figure 5 It also shows Figure 3. In this example, the drive 70 (which may be, for example, a stepper motor) is connected to a transfer case 74, which is also connected to an actuator 72 (e.g., a worm gear). Rotation of the actuator 72 causes movement of the guided portion 50, and thereby movement of the side wall portion 20.

[0067] Figure 6 is a perspective view of another section of the system 100 according to an example of the present disclosure. More specifically, the illustrated section of the system 100 includes a discard unit 80 configured to remove items 202 that have fallen over from at least one conveyor belt 10. The discard unit 80 can be located in a substantially straight section or a curved section of the conveyor system 100.

[0068] In this example, the discard unit 80 includes a first curvilinear sidewall portion 27 and a second curvilinear sidewall portion 37 that are disposed opposite each other and, for practical purposes, define a substantially constant width of the conveying path. In addition, the first curvilinear sidewall portion 27 is configured to facilitate displacement of the article 200 across (i.e., transverse to) the conveyor belt 10 disposed along this section of the conveying path.

[0069] The second curvilinear side wall portion 37 has a side wall segment with an opening, wherein the opening has a height above the plane defined by the conveyor belt 10 so that the inverted article 202 passes through the opening.

[0070] In this example, the side wall segments 371 are spaced a distance above the plane defined by the conveyor belt 10 so that an overturned article 202 can pass under the side wall segments 371. That is, the height of the space or gap may just exceed the largest lateral, outside dimension of the conveyed article 200. Thus, an overturned article 202 can pass under the segment 371 and into the discard tray 81, while an upright article 200 can follow the conveying path.

[0071] exist Figure 6 In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the discarding unit 80 includes a shutter 85 located between the second curved sidewall portion 37 and the conveyor belt 10. The shutter 85 is configured to at least partially block the vertical gap between the conveyor belt 10 and the segment 371. The shutter 85 may include a plurality of bodies 86, 87 that are arranged one on top of the other and are configured to operate independently to adjust the vertical gap between the conveyor belt 10 and the sidewall segment 371. In this example, two bodies 86, 87 are shown, but in other examples, more than two bodies may be used.

[0072] In the illustrated embodiment, the bodies 86, 87 can be operated by rotation of the respective ends 861, 862. Other arrangements for operating the bodies 86, 87 of the shutter 85 can also be used.

[0073] In addition, the shutter 85 can be automatically driven to rotate one or more bodies 86, 87 from its open position to the closed position or from the closed position to the open position.

[0074] The discard unit 80 or segment 371 of the delivery system can be connected to Figure 1 and Figure 5 When the operator prepares the conveyor system 100 for another batch of objects 200 of different sizes, the width of the conveyor path is automatically adapted. As mentioned above, the operator can use a suitable user interface to set the new width of the objects 200 to be conveyed. In response, the height of the gap in the side wall portion of the discard unit 80 can be automatically adapted.

[0075] In some examples, the system 100 can be adapted for conveying, for example, two, three, or four or more standard sizes of articles 200. When preparing the system 100 for a new batch of articles 200, one of the predefined articles 200 can simply be selected. In these examples, as the width of the conveying section is adapted, the shutter bodies 86, 87 are automatically moved to their open or closed positions to increase or decrease the height of the gap or opening in the side wall. In yet other examples, the system 100 can include an imaging system to determine the size of the articles to be conveyed.

[0076] In any of the previously presented examples, the height of the first side wall portion 20 and the second side wall portion 30 are adjustable relative to the conveyor belt 10. This allows the first side wall portion 20 and the second side wall portion 30 to be placed extending vertically above the center of gravity of the container 200 being conveyed (for a wide range of container types and sizes). This reduces the risk of the container tipping over from the side wall portions 20, 30 to the ground.

[0077] Figure 71 is a flow chart of a method 300 for adjusting the width of a conveyor system 100 according to the present disclosure. The conveyor system includes at least one conveyor belt 10 and a first side wall portion 20 and a second side wall portion 30. The method 300 includes, at box 301, displacing at least one of the first side wall portion 20 and the second side wall portion 30 so that the distance between the first side wall portion 20 and the second side wall portion 30 is modified. The displacement is performed by an actuator 72 that moves at least one side wall portion 20, 30. In addition, at least one side wall portion 20, 30 includes a guided portion 50 that is configured to be displaced along a guide 60. In addition, the guided portion 50 and the guide 60 are configured to be cleaned according to GMP standards.

[0078] Although only a plurality of examples have been disclosed herein, other alternatives, modifications, uses and / or their equivalents are possible. In addition, all possible combinations of the examples are also contemplated. Therefore, the scope of the present disclosure should not be limited by the specific examples, but should only be determined by a reasonable interpretation of the claims that follow.

Claims

1. A system (100) for conveying an article (200) in a sterile environment, comprising a conveyor belt (10), a first side wall portion (20) and a second side wall portion (30), wherein: The conveyor belt (10) and the first side wall portion (20) and the second side wall portion (30) define a conveying path portion; At least one of the first side wall portion (20) and the second side wall portion (30) is a displaceable wall portion and is configured to adjust the width of the conveying path portion to the width of the conveyed article (200); and The system (100) further comprises an actuator (72) configured to move the displaceable wall portion such that the displaceable wall portion is maintained parallel to the displaceable wall portion it faces, wherein The displaceable wall portion comprises a guided portion (50) which is configured to be displaced along a guide (60), wherein the guided portion (50) and the guide (60) are configured to be sterilizable according to GMP standards.

2. The system (100) according to claim 1, wherein: The guide (60) has an open cross section.

3. The system (100) according to claim 2, wherein: The open cross section is defined by an opening line (61), which extends from a first end (62) of the open cross section to a second end (63) of the open cross section, and wherein the ratio of the length of the opening line (61) to the shortest distance between the first end (62) and the second end (63) of the opening line is less than 2.2, in particular less than 2, and more specifically less than 1.

75.

4. The system (100) according to any one of claims 2 or 3, wherein: The displaceable wall portion comprises at least two guided portions (50), each guided portion (50) being configured to be displaced along a corresponding guide (60).

5. The system (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein: One of the guide member (60) and the guided portion (50) includes a through hole (53) defining a depth and a circumference, and the other of the guide member (60) and the guided portion (50) is configured to be inserted through the through hole.

6. The system (100) according to claim 5, wherein: The length of the path of the guided portion (50) is greater than the depth of the through hole (53), and more specifically, is 10 times or more the depth of the through hole (53).

7. The system (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein: The actuator (72) is arranged at a vertical level lower than the neck (201) of the article (200).

8. The system (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein: The system (100) also includes a driver (70) disposed at a lower vertical level than the actuator (72) and mechanically coupled to the actuator (72).

9. The system (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein: The actuator is configured to move the displaceable wall portion on a linear path.

10. The system (100) according to claim 9, wherein: The system (100) also includes one or more rotatable links (74) configured to connect the actuator (72) to a bar (76) on which the guided portion (50) is mounted.

11. The system (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein: The system (100) defines a straight conveying section and a curved conveying section, and wherein the straight conveying section comprises a first displaceable wall portion and the curved conveying section comprises a second displaceable wall portion.

12. The system (100) of claim 12, wherein: The curvilinear conveying section comprises curvilinear wall portions which are arranged in a staggered configuration relative to adjacent wall portions (25).

13. The system (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 12, further comprising a discard unit (80) configured to remove the overturned object (202) from the system, wherein: The discarding unit (80) comprises a first curved side wall portion (27) and a second curved side wall portion (37) arranged opposite to each other, wherein: The first curvilinear sidewall portion (27) is configured to facilitate displacement of the article (200) across the conveyor belt (10), and The second curvilinear sidewall portion (37) has a sidewall segment (371) with an opening having a height such that an overturned object (202) can pass through the opening.

14. The system (100) of claim 13, wherein: The discard unit (80) comprises a valve (85) between the second curved side wall portion (37) and the conveyor belt (10), the valve (85) being configured to be automatically activated.

15. A method (300) for adjusting the width of a conveyor system (100) in a sterile environment, the conveyor system comprising at least one conveyor belt (10), a first side wall portion (20) and a second side wall portion (30), the method (300) comprising: at least one of the first side wall portion (20) and the second side wall portion (30) is displaced (301) such that a distance between the first side wall portion (20) and the second side wall portion (30) is modified, wherein the displacement (301) is performed by an actuator (72) that moves the at least one side wall portion (20, 30); and wherein, The at least one side wall portion (20, 30) comprises a guided portion (50) configured to be displaced along a guide (60), the guided portion (50) and the guide (60) being configured to be cleaned according to GMP standards.

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