Opening system for a door of a freeze-dryer

Abstract

An opening system (1) for a door (22) of a freeze-drying machine (101) is disclosed, the machine having a freeze-drying chamber delimited by a plurality of walls. The chamber can be accessed through a window (103) obtained in a vertical wall of the chamber, to load and remove containers containing products to be freeze-dried. The system comprises a door (22) configured to obstruct the window (103) of the freeze-drying machine (101), a transmission mechanism (2) configured to control the opening and closing of the door (22) and a support wall (3) configured to support said transmission mechanism.

Description

[0001] This invention relates to a door opening system for a freeze dryer.

[0002] Freeze-drying is the process of removing solvents or suspension media (usually water) from a product. Drug freeze-drying is typically a sterile process, requiring sterile conditions within the freeze-drying chamber. It is crucial to ensure that all components in the freeze-drying system that come into contact with the product are sterile, and also to ensure that the environment around the freeze dryer is easily cleanable and does not become a potential source of contamination for products entering and leaving the system.

[0003] A freeze-drying system typically comprises a freeze-drying chamber defined by multiple walls and configured to receive multiple containers or vials containing sterile material to be freeze-dried. Access to the chamber for loading and unloading of vials is made through windows formed in the vertical walls of the chamber. These windows are generally rectangular in shape, and their opening or closing depends on the positioning of a vertically moving door to block or release passage through the window. Generally, the opening system includes a drive mechanism with multiple mechanical components adapted to transmit motion generated by an actuator to automatically move the door. The need to insert the actuator into a specific location that is shielded and typically away from the door to be moved introduces the need for an articulated drive mechanism with numerous components, which are typically exposed to the external environment of the freeze-dryer but remain within the sterile area.

[0004] Maintaining sterile conditions inside a freeze dryer requires periodic cleaning and disinfection of the doors and their associated opening systems. In addition, the area in front of the freeze dryer's entry window must also be kept under sterile conditions.

[0005] The drawback of existing technology is that the opening system consists of a large number of components that must be arranged near the door to be operated. Furthermore, because the area in front of the door must be kept under sterile conditions, cleaning these components takes longer and is more difficult. In addition, the shape of the door opening system also makes cleaning the system challenging.

[0006] An example of such systems is described in patent application WO2005 / 088216A1, whose opening mechanism includes a first shaft connected to an actuator at its central portion and to two threaded shafts at its ends. These threaded shafts are positioned on corresponding sides relative to the door and are connected to the door for its movement. As can be readily understood, cleaning the threaded shafts is difficult due to the grooves within the threads, and their friction with the threaded gears that transmit the motion generated by the actuator can produce debris that contaminates the product to be freeze-dried.

[0007] Furthermore, even if the threaded shaft is covered with a flexible sleeve or "bellows", these are not without their drawbacks.

[0008] Therefore, there are technical requirements for improved opening systems with a limited number of components exposed to the external environment, as well as for compact implementations that allow for easier and faster cleaning processes, and for opening systems that do not generate dust during operation.

[0009] The object of this invention is to address this requirement by providing a system for opening the door of a freeze dryer. The system according to claim 1 includes a motion transmission mechanism configured to control the opening and closing of the door, and the support wall supports the transmission mechanism.

[0010] The invention is disclosed and characterized in the independent claims. The dependent claims disclose other features of the invention or preferred variations of the main solution.

[0011] The embodiments described herein relate to a door opening system for a freeze dryer, the system including a motion transmission mechanism and a support wall for the mechanism.

[0012] According to the embodiments described herein, the motion transmission mechanism includes a first wheel associated with the wall, a second wheel associated with a first lever, and a third wheel rigidly connected to a second lever.

[0013] According to the embodiment provided herein, the transmission mechanism includes a main drive shaft that rotates about a rotation axis X, wherein the first wheel is mounted coaxially with the drive shaft.

[0014] According to the embodiment described herein, the second lever is rotatably coupled to the door in its second distal region to open and close the door.

[0015] According to a feature of the invention, the device includes a closed box in which the first wheel, the second wheel and the third wheel are housed.

[0016] According to the implementation scheme, the enclosed box is configured to rotate about the rotation axis X at a rotational speed equal to that of the main drive shaft.

[0017] According to the implementation scheme provided herein, the first transmission lever is formed to be at least partially housed within the enclosed box.

[0018] The advantage of the opening system according to the invention is that cleaning operations of the mechanical components that are part of the system and arranged around the entry window of the freeze dryer are convenient because they are enclosed inside the sealed chamber.

[0019] Another advantage of the invention is that it avoids the dispersion of particles that might separate due to friction between the mechanical parts of the system when it is opened; these particles are retained inside the closed box.

[0020] Another advantage of the invention is the compactness of the opening system, which has very few moving parts. Attached Figure Description

[0021] These and other aspects, features, and advantages of the invention will become clear from the following description of embodiments provided by way of non-limiting example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0022] - Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the opening system according to the present invention, applied to a freeze dryer;

[0023] - Figure 2 This is a schematic isometric view showing the construction of the opening system according to the present invention;

[0024] - Figure 3 Is it to open the system along Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the cross-section of plane III;

[0025] - Figure 4 This is a schematic isometric view of a part of a transmission system that forms part of the opening mechanism according to the invention.

[0026] For ease of understanding, the same reference numerals are used as much as possible in the accompanying drawings to identify the same elements. It should be understood that elements and features of one embodiment can be readily incorporated into other embodiments without further explanation. Detailed Implementation

[0027] Reference will now be made in detail to various embodiments of the invention, with one or more examples of these embodiments illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Each example is provided by way of illustration and is not intended to limit the invention. For example, features shown or described as part of one embodiment may be used in or in connection with other embodiments to produce further embodiments. It should be understood that the invention will include such modifications and variations.

[0028] Before describing the embodiments, it should be understood that this specification is not limited in its operation to the details of the construction and arrangement of the components as described below using the accompanying drawings. This disclosure may include other embodiments and may be made or practiced in various other ways. Furthermore, it should be understood that the wording and terminology used herein are for descriptive purposes and should not be considered limiting.

[0029] The embodiment described using the accompanying drawings relates to an opening system 1 for a door 22 of a freeze dryer 101, with only one wall of the freeze dryer shown. The freeze dryer 101 is used to remove solvents or their suspension media, typically such as water, from a drug. The machine is equipped with freeze-drying chambers separated from the external environment by multiple walls. One of these walls ( Figure 1 The wall shown in the diagram is provided with an access window 103, which is configured to allow one or more containers or vials containing sterile products to be inserted into the chamber, where the freeze-drying process will be performed on the sterile products.

[0030] System 1 is particularly suitable for the pharmaceutical industry for automatically moving the door associated with the window of the freeze-drying chamber to allow for the insertion and removal of products to be processed.

[0031] like Figure 1 As can be seen, opening system 1 includes door 22, which is configured to close the entry window 103 of freeze dryer 101.

[0032] The opening system 1 also includes a motion transmission mechanism 2, which is configured to automatically control the opening and closing of the door 22, as will be explained in more detail below.

[0033] The opening system 1 also includes a support wall 3, which is configured to support the transmission mechanism 2.

[0034] In one embodiment, the support wall 3 coincides with one of the plurality of walls that define the freeze-drying chamber of the machine.

[0035] The support wall 3 is preferably arranged substantially vertically, parallel to the unfolded surface of the window 103.

[0036] Door 22 is preferably movable between two operating positions: a closed position and an open position, in which door 22 closes window 103 and in the open position, window 103 is open and access to the chamber is possible.

[0037] According to the implementation plan, door 22 is in the closed position (in Figure 1 When in the lowered position, the door 22 is preferably arranged substantially vertically and parallel to the unfolded surface of the window 103. When the door 22 is controlled to open or close and moves between two operating positions, it performs a sliding movement along a movement trajectory that is at least partially straight and parallel to the window 103 and the support wall 3.

[0038] according to Figure 3 and Figure 4In the embodiment visible in the diagram, the transmission mechanism 2 includes a main drive shaft 4 capable of rotating about a first axis of rotation X substantially perpendicular to the support wall. The main drive shaft 4 is initially connected to an actuator device 10, which generates the movement necessary to move the door 22.

[0039] According to a preferred embodiment, the actuator device 10 can be positioned on the opposite side of the support wall 3 relative to the transmission mechanism 2 so as to have a main drive shaft 4 passing through the support wall 3.

[0040] According to one embodiment, the main drive shaft 4 can be directly connected to the actuator 10 or connected to the actuator via a connector 24 (such as a cardholder, gear, belt, or chain). According to another embodiment, the support wall 3 includes a through-hole through which the main drive shaft 4 passes. According to various alternative embodiments, the support wall 3 includes a cavity configured to at least partially accommodate the connector 24.

[0041] like Figure 3 and Figure 4 As can be seen, the transmission mechanism 2 includes a first wheel 5, which is coaxially mounted with the main drive shaft 4 and fixed to the support wall 3 to prevent rotation. In this way, even during the rotation of the main drive shaft 4, the first wheel 5 remains fixed relative to both the support wall 3 and the main drive shaft.

[0042] According to the implementation scheme, the transmission mechanism 2 includes a first transmission lever 6, which is rigidly connected to the drive shaft 4 in a first proximal region. Through this connection, the first transmission lever 6 can rotate about a first rotation axis X in conjunction with the rotation of the main drive shaft 4.

[0043] The transmission mechanism includes components rotatably mounted on Figure 4 The second idler wheel 7 is visible on the first transmission lever 6. The second idler wheel 7 has a second rotation axis Y as its axis of rotation, which is preferably parallel to the first rotation axis X. The second idler wheel 7 cooperates with the first wheel 5 in idle rotation.

[0044] According to one embodiment, the transmission mechanism 2 includes a third wheel 8 that cooperates with the second idler wheel 7 and is rotatably coupled to the first transmission lever 6 in a first distal region. In practice, the second idler wheel 7 can rotate relative to the first transmission lever 6. According to another embodiment, the transmission mechanism 2 includes a second transmission lever 9, which is mounted to be rigidly coupled to the third wheel 8 in its second proximal region. In practice, when the third wheel 8 rotates, the second lever 9 also rotates. Preferably, the third wheel 8 is rigidly coupled to the second lever 9 via a transmission pin 25, which is mounted coaxially with the third wheel 8. In this way, the second lever 9 rotates along with the third wheel 8 according to a common third rotation axis Z parallel to the first rotation axis X.

[0045] Therefore, the rotation of the main drive shaft 4 causes the first transmission lever 6 to rotate, which in turn drives the second idler wheel 7, causing the second idler wheel to rotate on the fixed first wheel 5. In fact, the second idler wheel 7 rotates in the opposite direction to the rotation of the main drive shaft 4. In this way, the third wheel 8, which cooperates with the second idler wheel 7, is configured to rotate along a rotation axis Z and in a rotation direction corresponding to the rotation axis Z and rotation direction of the main drive shaft 4.

[0046] In this way, the second transmission lever 9 rotates together with the third wheel 8.

[0047] According to the implementation scheme, the second transmission lever 9 is connected to the door 22 in its second distal region so as to move the door when opening and closing in accordance with the rotation of the main drive shaft 4.

[0048] The opening system described herein is characterized in that the first round 5, the second round 7, and the third round 8 are housed within the closed box 11.

[0049] The enclosed box 11 is constructed with multiple walls that define an enclosed interior space in which the indicated mechanical components are housed.

[0050] The enclosed box 11 is arranged to accommodate at least the three wheels mentioned above and is configured to be easily opened by an operator for maintenance or inspection of the mechanical parts contained therein. It should be understood that the box 11 can be implemented as multiple housings mounted around the mechanical parts to be housed.

[0051] Preferably, the enclosure 11 is airtight.

[0052] According to an alternative embodiment, the enclosed housing 11 is configured to rotate as the main drive shaft 4 rotates. More specifically, the enclosed housing 11 is configured to rotate about the rotation axis X at a rotational speed equal to the rotational speed of the main drive shaft 4. Clearly, according to this embodiment, the enclosed housing 11 is rigidly connected to the first transmission lever 6.

[0053] According to an alternative embodiment, the first transmission lever 6 is at least partially housed within the enclosed housing 11. In this embodiment, one or more housings are connected to the first transmission frame 6 that together constitute the housing 11, and three wheels 5, 7, and 8 are housed within the housing.

[0054] According to other implementation schemes, the transmission mechanism 2 is via... Figure 1 The guide unit 12, visible in the image, is connected to the door 22. The guide unit 12 includes multiple elements suitable for allowing the door 22 to move. The guide unit 12 has the primary function of allowing the door 22 to move when opening and closing according to a predetermined direction.

[0055] The guide unit 12 includes a bracket 13 connected to a second distal region of the second lever 9 and further connected to the door 22. The connection between the bracket 13 and at least one of the second lever 9 and the door 22 is preferably rotatable, allowing the second lever 9 to rotate relative to the door 22. In this way, the rotational movement of the second lever 9 can be converted into the translational movement required to open and close the door 22. This translational movement is at least partially a sliding movement parallel to the support wall 3.

[0056] The guide unit 12 may further include a guide body 14 fixed to the support wall 3 and a sliding rod 15 fixed to the door 22, the sliding rod 15 being configured to slide within a sliding channel 16 obtained in the guide body 14. The sliding rod 15 is preferably rigidly fixed to the door 22 by the bracket 13. Conveniently, the sliding rod 15 and the sliding channel 16 have a parallel deployment relative to the support wall 3.

[0057] According to a predefined embodiment, system 1 further includes a tilting unit 23, which includes an arcuate sliding body 17 attached to the wall 3 and a sliding roller 18 fixed to the door 22. The sliding roller 18 is configured to slide on the arcuate sliding body 17, thereby moving the upper end of the door 22 away from the supporting wall 3, thus exposing the rear surface of the door 22, i.e., the portion of the door fitted inside the freeze dryer chamber. The sliding roller 18 is preferably connected to the door 22 via a sliding lever 19.

[0058] The sliding lever 19 can also rotate around the rotation axis W that is perpendicular to the first rotation axis X.

[0059] Therefore, this implementation allows the door 22 to tilt when it is open relative to the window 103, thereby allowing cleaning of the back of the door.

[0060] According to an alternative embodiment, the first wheel 5, the second wheel 7, and the third wheel 8 are configured as toothed wheels that cooperate according to the method described above. Alternatively, the three wheels (5, 7, 8) can be configured as toothed wheels or pulleys that cooperate together through the movement of a predefined sliding device (e.g., a chain or belt).

[0061] As previously described, the opening system 1 according to the embodiment may further include an actuator 10 connected to the motion transmission mechanism 2 and configured to generate motion transmitted by the transmission mechanism 2 to control the opening and closing of the door 22. Preferably, the motion generated by the actuator 10 is rotational in nature, with its axis of rotation coinciding with or parallel to the first axis of rotation X of the main drive shaft 4.

[0062] Therefore, it is evident how the opening system 1 according to various embodiments described herein can be used on a freeze dryer 101, which, as mentioned above, includes a chamber having at least one wall, accessible through a window 103 formed on said wall by opening a door 22, the opening being performed by means of the opening system 1 according to the invention. It should be clear that, according to this embodiment, the wall of the freeze dryer's chamber coincides with or is integral with the support wall 3 of the opening system.

[0063] The opening system 1, intended for use in this invention, may include a single transmission mechanism 2 for opening a door 22, or may conveniently include two similar transmission mechanisms 2 to facilitate opening the door 22. Preferably, the door 22 has a rectangular shape, and in the above configuration, each transmission mechanism 2 is positioned as follows: Figure 1 Visible on the left and right sides of door 22.

[0064] As can be understood from the description already provided, the door opening system for a freeze dryer according to the present invention enables the fulfillment of requirements and overcomes the disadvantages mentioned in the introduction of this specification with reference to the prior art.

[0065] It is obvious that those skilled in the art can make many modifications and variations to the present invention to meet possible and specific needs; however, all such modifications are included within the scope of protection of the present invention as defined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A door opening system (1) for a freeze dryer (101), said system (1) comprising: - Door (22), which is configured to close the entrance window (103) of the freeze dryer (101). - Motion transmission mechanism (2), which is configured to control the opening and closing of the door (22); - Support wall (3), the support wall being configured to support the transmission mechanism (2); The transmission mechanism (2) includes: A main drive shaft (4), which rotates about a first axis of rotation (X) substantially perpendicular to the support wall (3), characterized in that the transmission mechanism (2) further includes: The first wheel (5) is coaxially mounted to the main drive shaft (4) and fixed to the support wall (3) to prevent rotation. A first transmission lever (6) is rigidly connected to the main drive shaft (4) in a first proximal region so as to rotate about the first rotation axis (X). The second idler wheel (7) is mounted on the first transmission lever (6) in a way that cooperates with the first wheel (5) in idle rotation and is rotatable about the second axis of rotation (Y). The third wheel (8) cooperates with the second idler wheel (7) and is rotatably connected to the first transmission lever (6) at a first distal region. The second transmission lever (9) is rigidly connected to the third wheel (8) in its second proximal region so as to rotate together with the third wheel (8) according to a third rotation axis (Z) parallel to the first rotation axis (X), and the second transmission lever (9) is also rotatably connected to the door (22) in its second distal region so as to move the door to an open or closed configuration according to the rotation direction of the main drive shaft (4); The first wheel (5), the second idle wheel (7) and the third wheel (8) are housed in a closed box (11).

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the enclosed box (11) is configured to rotate about the first rotation axis (X) at a rotational speed equal to that of the main drive shaft (4).

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein the first transmission lever (6) is also at least partially housed within the enclosed box (11).

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein the second rotation axis (Y) is parallel to the first rotation axis (X).

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein the second transmission lever (9) is rotatably connected to the door (22) by means of a bracket (13) which is rigidly attached to the edge of the door (22).

6. The system according to claim 5, wherein the connection between the bracket (13) and at least one of the second drive lever (9) and the door (22) is rotatable, thereby allowing the second drive lever (9) to rotate relative to the door (22) and converting the rotational motion of the second drive lever (9) into translational motion of the door (22) when it is opened and closed, the translational motion being at least partially a sliding motion parallel to the support wall (3).

7. The system according to claim 1, wherein the third wheel (8) rotates in the same direction as the main drive shaft (4).

8. The system according to claim 1, the system comprising a guide unit (12) including a guide body (14) attached to the support wall and a sliding rod (15) attached to the door (22), the sliding rod (15) being configured to slide within a sliding channel (16) formed in the guide body (14).

9. The system according to claim 1, further comprising a tilting unit (23) including an arcuate sliding body (17) attached to the wall (3) and a sliding roller (18) coupled to the door (22), the sliding roller (18) being configured to slide on the arcuate sliding body (17) as the door (22) moves to the opening configuration, so as to tilt the door (22) so that the rear surface of the door (22) can be approached.

10. The system according to claim 1, wherein the first wheel (5), the second idler wheel (7) and the third wheel (8) are gears that mesh with each other.

11. The system of claim 1, further comprising an actuator device (10) connected to the transmission mechanism (2) and configured to rotate the main drive shaft (4).

12. The system according to claim 1, wherein the support wall (3) includes a through hole through which the main drive shaft (4) passes.

13. The system according to claim 1, the system comprising two transmission mechanisms (2), each transmission mechanism being positioned on one side of the door (22), the door (22) being located between the two transmission mechanisms.

14. The system according to claim 1, wherein the enclosed box (11) is hermetically sealed.

15. A freeze dryer (101) comprising a closed chamber having an entry window (103) closed by an opening system (1) according to any one of the preceding claims.

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