Pharmaceutical container inspection device

Abstract

The invention relates to a pharmaceutical container inspection device (1) for inspecting one or more pharmaceutical containers (2). The device comprises an inspection station (4) having an inspection system (5) including an inspection device (6) configured to inspect a single pharmaceutical container for container defects and a manipulator for agitating the single pharmaceutical container during inspection by the inspection device to improve visibility of the container defects, and a transport system (10) for automatically transporting one or more pharmaceutical containers (2) to the inspection station (4), where one or more pharmaceutical containers (2) can be fed to the transport system (10) by a feed mechanism (9). The inspection system (5) is configured to perform multiple inspection steps at the inspection station (4).

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a pharmaceutical container inspection device for inspecting a single pharmaceutical container, particularly for inspecting a single pharmaceutical container for container defects such as contamination of the contents of the pharmaceutical container, the integrity of the closure of the pharmaceutical container, or visual defects, and a pharmaceutical container inspection assembly including such a pharmaceutical container inspection device, a method for inspecting a single pharmaceutical container using such a pharmaceutical container inspection device or pharmaceutical container inspection assembly, and a feeding mechanism for feeding one or more pharmaceutical containers into such a pharmaceutical container inspection device. [Background technology]

[0002] Container inspection devices are known in the art for inspecting containers, particularly for inspecting containers for container defects.

[0003] For example, U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2021 / 0293725 discloses an inspection system for inspecting container units. The inspection system combines and integrates a holding assembly for multiple containers that integrates servo-controlled rotation of each unit with container transport and positioning that mimics manual handling, and a camera station that employs automated visual inspection. The system performs horizontal inspection for particles and other container defects, encouraging particles to be better positioned within the camera's inspection field. The inspection sequence and product recipe combine conventional manual inspection rocking with automated inspection rotation techniques to optimize detection. The system allows for semi-automatic operation, with an operator manually feeding and dispensing materials in front of the station, or fully automated, with a transport system feeding and dispensing materials from behind the station.

[0004] Additionally, commercially available inspection devices are manufactured by, for example, Stevanato, Koerber, Sterisys, Gronigner, Brevetti or Syntagon, to name a few. Such devices are primarily configured for the inspection of pharmaceutical containers.

[0005] However, the above-described prior art container inspection devices suffer from the problem that such container inspection devices are typically designed for relatively high throughput (on the order of 10,000 containers per hour), implying relatively large devices, requiring significant space and, financially, a significant financial investment to obtain the device. Therefore, the prior art devices are not suitable for use by relatively "low-volume" users, such as pharmacies, businesses, or hospitals (where the containers contain pharmaceutical products) that require inspection of only relatively small quantities or small batches of containers (e.g., at throughputs on the order of a few hundred containers per hour) for contamination or closure integrity. Manual inspection of relatively small batches is naturally relatively inexpensive, but presents its own challenges, such as low throughput (on the order of 300-600 containers per hour) and a high risk of (human) error. In summary, prior art inspection devices or methods lack scalability with respect to throughput and / or lot size.

[0006] Another major drawback of such relatively large prior art container inspection devices is that it takes several hours of work to "reconfigure" or (in general terms) adapt the device for inspection of other types of containers, again making the prior art devices less suitable for relatively small batch inspection. Summary of the Invention

[0007] SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a relatively space-saving drug container inspection device, particularly for inspecting drug containers for container defects.

[0008] It is a further object of the invention to provide a drug container inspection device suitable for processing relatively small batches of drug containers at speeds / throughputs of, for example, 100 or 1,000 containers per hour.

[0009] In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a drug container inspection device for inspecting one or more drug containers, comprising: an inspection station having an inspection system including an inspection device configured to inspect a single pharmaceutical container for container defects and a manipulator that agitates the single pharmaceutical container during inspection by the inspection device to improve visibility of the container defects; a transport system for automatically transporting one or more pharmaceutical containers, such as a single pharmaceutical container, to an inspection station, wherein the one or more pharmaceutical containers can be fed into the transport system by an infeed mechanism; Equipped with the inspection system is configured to perform a plurality of inspection steps at the inspection station; A container inspection device is provided.

[0010] The applicant has found that the container inspection device described above is capable of performing high quality inspection of relatively small batches with a relatively low throughput. Furthermore, the container inspection device takes up relatively little space, making it financially attractive when inspection of relatively small batches is required. The transport system is preferably a separate system from the infeed mechanism.

[0011] U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2017 / 0345141 discloses a method and apparatus for detecting bubbles in specimen containers. U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2017 / 0345141 is particularly directed to detecting microorganisms in bodily fluids, particularly blood, in specimen containers (see paragraph

[0002] of U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2017 / 0345141), with a primary goal of preventing sepsis (again, see paragraph

[0002] of U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2017 / 0345141). Pharmaceutical testing is not mentioned anywhere in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2017 / 0345141.

[0012] Furthermore, for example, robot head 656 disclosed in Figure 5A of U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2017 / 0345141 cannot be considered a manipulator that shakes a container to improve the visibility of container defects during inspection of the container by an inspection device. Robot head 656 has an entirely different function within the device of U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2017 / 0345141, i.e., robot head 656 is configured to store containers in rack 600 of incubation chamber 620 (see, e.g., paragraph

[0124] of U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2017 / 0345141).

[0013] As previously mentioned, U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2021 / 0293725 is configured to test several syringes at once. U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2021 / 0293725 discloses delivering and holding several syringes at once in an examination chamber by a robotic arm that supports several syringes.

[0014] In the context of this patent application, a "container defect" refers to, for example, contamination of the container's contents, defects in the container's closure integrity, or cosmetic defects. Furthermore, an "inspection station" is a physical or virtual space in which an inspection system operates. The inspection system includes a manipulator for agitating the container and an "inspection device." The inspection device is a system that records information for inspecting a single pharmaceutical container without the container leaving its field of view, or more generally, its "area of ​​interest," as understood by those skilled in the art. Recording information may involve the use of near-ultraviolet (NUV), visible, near-infrared (NIR), mid-infrared (MIR), and / or far-infrared (FIR) wavelengths / frequencies. At an inspection station, multiple inspection steps can be performed sequentially on a single container. An inspection step is either (1) a specific measurement performed by the inspection system, including manipulator movements or positions that may be performed before, during, or after recording, or (2) a specific setting of the inspection device. The pharmaceutical container contains pharmaceuticals, also known as drugs, medicines, pharmaceuticals, prescription drugs, or simply drugs, i.e., drugs used to diagnose, cure, treat, or prevent a condition. Pharmaceuticals may include drugs or compounds used to treat or cure a disease. Pharmaceuticals may also be considered substances used to treat a condition or relieve pain. Exemplary pharmaceuticals include antipyretics, analgesics, antimalarials, antibiotics, disinfectants, mood stabilizers, hormone replacement drugs, oral contraceptives, stimulants, tranquilizers, and statins. Such pharmaceuticals may include solid pharmaceuticals, including, for example, freeze-dried products, liquid pharmaceuticals, or mixtures thereof.

[0015] The embodiment is The container inspection device includes a housing having an inspection station disposed within the housing, an infeed opening or openings disposed on a surface of the housing for enabling a feed mechanism to feed one or more pharmaceutical containers to the infeed openings, and a transport system disposed to automatically transport one or more pharmaceutical containers from the infeed opening or openings to the inspection station. Thus, the containers can be conveniently fed to the infeed openings, and then the containers are automatically transported to the inspection station by the transport system. The "surface" may be a "bottom surface," a "top surface," a "side surface," etc., but basically refers to any outer surface of the housing.

[0016] An embodiment relates to the aforementioned container inspection device, in which the inspection system is configured to engage a single pharmaceutical container at multiple engagement positions on the single pharmaceutical container, for example, at least two engagement positions on opposite ends of the container. Thus, while securely held in the engagement positions, the container can be manipulated by a manipulator and viewed from many different positions and angles. The container may, for example, be moved ("translated") or rotated ("rotated") about its longitudinal or lateral axis.

[0017] Embodiments relate to the aforementioned container inspection device, wherein the inspection system is configured to perform all of the inspection steps at the inspection station, such that the entire inspection process can be completed within the inspection station without the container being transported to an additional inspection station.

[0018] Embodiments relate to a container inspection device as described above, wherein the inspection apparatus comprises one or more viewing devices for viewing a single pharmaceutical container at the inspection station, which may comprise, for example, a camera.

[0019] Embodiments relate to the aforementioned container inspection device, wherein the inspection system comprises one or more illumination devices for illuminating a single pharmaceutical container at the inspection station as the single pharmaceutical container is observed by the one or more observation devices.

[0020] The embodiment relates to a container inspection device as described above, wherein the face of the housing including the infeed opening is the top face of the housing during use. Thus, the infeed opening is easily accessible and gravity can be advantageously used to transport the container to the inspection station. "Top face" in this specification means the top face of the housing during normal use.

[0021] The embodiment relates to a container inspection device as described above, wherein the infeed opening is positioned vertically above the inspection station such that the transport system can vertically transport one or more pharmaceutical containers from the infeed opening to the inspection station. As mentioned in the previous paragraph, gravity may be used to transport the containers to the inspection station, for example using a transport system comprising a lifting device, in particular a powered lifting device.

[0022] Embodiments relate to the aforementioned container inspection device in which the manipulator doubles as a transport system for automatically transporting one or more pharmaceutical containers to an inspection station. Conversely, mutatis mutandis, the transport system may also double as a manipulator for shaking one or more pharmaceutical containers.

[0023] An embodiment relates to the aforementioned container inspection device, wherein the single pharmaceutical container is at least partially transparent so that the contents of the single pharmaceutical container can be observed from outside the container.

[0024] The embodiments relate to a container inspection device as described above, in which a single pharmaceutical container contains liquids and / or solids, i.e. liquids and / or solids used for medical purposes.

[0025] The embodiment relates to the aforementioned container inspection device, wherein the single pharmaceutical container is a syringe, a vial, or an ampoule. Those skilled in the art will understand that the container may also be a bottle, etc.

[0026] As previously mentioned, the container inspection device disclosed in this patent application is particularly useful to the pharmaceutical industry, where inspection of pharmaceutical products contained in, for example, syringes, vials or ampoules (or bottles) is required.

[0027] The embodiment is a plurality of inspection stations, each having an inspection system, the inspection system including an inspection device configured to inspect a single pharmaceutical container for container defects and a manipulator that agitates the single pharmaceutical container during inspection by the inspection device to improve visibility of the container defects, at least one of the inspection stations configured to perform a plurality of inspection steps at the inspection station; a transport system for automatically transporting one or more pharmaceutical containers to each of the inspection stations, wherein the one or more pharmaceutical containers can be fed into the transport system by a feed mechanism; The present invention relates to the aforementioned container inspection device, comprising:

[0028] The container inspection device described above with multiple inspection stations allows for modular design of the container inspection device. For example, if an increased throughput is required (e.g., X items per hour vs. 2×X items per hour), additional inspection stations may be conveniently added. With one inspection station, the applicant has achieved a throughput of, for example, 300 items per hour, while with two inspection stations, the applicant has achieved a throughput of 600 items per hour. Of course, three, four, or more inspection stations are also contemplated.

[0029] Another aspect of the invention is a method for producing a medicament comprising: The aforementioned pharmaceutical container inspection device; a feeding mechanism arranged to feed one or more pharmaceutical containers into the transport system; The present invention relates to a pharmaceutical container inspection assembly comprising:

[0030] The infeed mechanism is preferably an automatic infeed mechanism that automatically and continuously feeds containers into the transport system, which, in combination with the automatic transport system, allows for fully automatic (without manual intervention by an operator) transport of containers from "outside" the container inspection device to the inspection station.

[0031] An embodiment relates to a container inspection assembly as described above, wherein the feed mechanism is disposed on a surface of the housing to feed one or more pharmaceutical containers to the feed opening.

[0032] The embodiments relate to a container inspection assembly as described above, wherein the feed mechanism holds a vial, an ampoule, a syringe, or a nest of syringes.

[0033] Preferably, the feed mechanism is configured to feed a syringe, vial or ampoule to the feed opening, or to feed a syringe from a nest to the feed opening, if applicable. In particular, syringes are often stored or handled in nests, i.e., trays that hold dozens of syringes.

[0034] The embodiment relates to the aforementioned container inspection assembly, in which the nest comprises, for example, a syringe having an injection end with a syringe cap, the syringe is placed in the nest with the injection end facing up, and the syringe is sent to the transport system with the injection end facing up.

[0035] The embodiment relates to the aforementioned container inspection assembly in which the syringes are delivered to the infeed opening with their injection ends facing up. The main advantage of feeding the syringes into the transport system or infeed opening with their injection ends facing up is that so-called "denesting" is not required, leading to increased throughput and simplified design. The syringes can essentially "drop" into the transport system, preferably one by one, and be delivered (preferably with the aid of gravity) to the inspection station.

[0036] An embodiment relates to the aforementioned container inspection assembly, in which the transport system is arranged to automatically transport the syringe from the infeed opening to the inspection station with the injection end facing up. Thus, the transport system does not need to rotate the syringe to the injection end facing up before transporting it to the inspection station. As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, this inspection of the syringe can also be performed even if the syringe is oriented with the injection end facing up, preferably. It is also conceivable that the infeed opening is used as the outfeed opening, and the transport system transports the syringe from the inspection station toward the outfeed opening for return to the nest after inspection.

[0037] An embodiment relates to the aforementioned container inspection assembly, which includes a feed mechanism for transporting a single pharmaceutical container away from an inspection station, or, if the container inspection device includes multiple inspection stations, a pharmaceutical container away from each of the multiple inspection stations. As mentioned in the previous paragraph, the infeed opening may function as the outfeed opening, in which case the infeed mechanism essentially functions as the outfeed mechanism. A transport system is used to transport the container from the infeed opening to the inspection station / from the inspection station to the outfeed opening. Of course, the outfeed opening may be a separate opening in (a surface of) the housing, and the outfeed mechanism may be a separate module or device.

[0038] Another aspect of the invention is a method for inspecting a single pharmaceutical container using the aforementioned pharmaceutical container inspection device or the aforementioned pharmaceutical container inspection assembly, comprising: automatically transporting one or more pharmaceutical containers to an inspection station using a transport system; Inspecting a single pharmaceutical container for container defects using an inspection system including an inspection device, the inspection system performing a plurality of inspection steps at an inspection station; agitating a single pharmaceutical container during inspection by an inspection device to improve visibility of container defects; The present invention relates to a method comprising:

[0039] Another aspect of the invention relates to a feed mechanism for feeding one or more pharmaceutical containers into the transport system of the aforementioned pharmaceutical container inspection device, configured as an automatic feed mechanism for automatically supplying one or more pharmaceutical containers to a feed opening, for example. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0040] The invention will be described in detail below with reference to exemplary embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings. [Figure 1] FIG. 1 shows a first schematic and exemplary embodiment of a container inspection assembly with a container inspection device according to the invention, which has a single inspection station. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 shows a second schematic and exemplary embodiment of a container inspection assembly with a container inspection device according to the invention, which comprises two inspection stations. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 shows an exemplary embodiment of an inspection system for use in a container inspection device according to the present invention. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 shows a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of a container inspection assembly with a container inspection device according to the present invention, having two inspection stations, when the container inspection assembly is in a closed position. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 shows a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of a container inspection assembly with a container inspection device according to the present invention, having two inspection stations, when the container inspection assembly is in an open position. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 shows a schematic diagram of an exemplary embodiment of a method for feeding a syringe from a syringe nest through an infeed opening into a delivery system with the syringe injection end facing up. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0041] As previously mentioned, FIG. 1 illustrates a first schematic and exemplary embodiment of a pharmaceutical container inspection assembly 16 having a pharmaceutical container inspection device 1 according to the present invention, comprising a single inspection station 4. The inspection station 4 comprises an inspection system 5 having an inspection apparatus 6 configured to inspect a single pharmaceutical container 2 for container defects and a manipulator (see reference numeral 27 in FIG. 3 ) for rocking the single pharmaceutical container 2 to improve visibility during inspection by the inspection apparatus 6. A transport system 10, 10′ is provided to automatically transport one or more pharmaceutical containers to the inspection station 4 (shown in two selectable positions), such as by moving the pharmaceutical container 2 in a longitudinal or lateral direction (e.g., vertical or horizontal) of the pharmaceutical container 2 at a transport speed of preferably 2 to 20 cm / s, more preferably 5 to 10 cm / s. The pharmaceutical container 2 can be fed to the transport system 10 having an infeed mechanism 9. The inspection system 5 is configured to perform multiple inspection steps at the inspection station 4. As previously mentioned, the inspection may include recording of information involving the use of, for example, near ultraviolet (NUV), visible, near infrared (NIR), mid infrared (MIR) and / or far infrared (FIR) wavelengths / frequencies.

[0042] A pharmaceutical container inspection device 1 for inspecting one or more pharmaceutical containers 2, as shown in FIG. 1, includes a housing 3, e.g., cubic or "brick" shaped. The dimensions of the housing 3 depend on the intended use, the required throughput, the location of the infeed and unfeed mechanisms, etc. By way of example, the dimensions of the housing 3 may be 0.25 to 1.0 m (width), 0.5 to 1.0 m (height), and 0.25 to 1.0 m (depth). This is the case for a pharmaceutical container inspection device 1 having a single inspection station 4. A container inspection device 1 having two inspection stations 4 may have a width of, e.g., 0.5 to 2.0 m (height and depth may be similar to those of a container inspection device 1 having a single inspection station 4). The housing 3 may be made of plastic, metal, or the like. The inspection station 4 includes an inspection system 5 disposed within the housing 3 and including an inspection apparatus 6 configured to inspect a single pharmaceutical container 2 for container defects, such as contamination of the contents of the pharmaceutical container 2, defects in the closure integrity of the container, or cosmetic defects. The inspection system 5 is configured to use a manipulator to agitate the single pharmaceutical container 2 during inspection by the inspection device 6, for example, by rotating or translating the single pharmaceutical container 2 along or about one, two, or three axes to impart movement to particles present in the single pharmaceutical container 2. Preferably, the pharmaceutical container 2 is rotated at a speed of 500 to 3,000 rpm, e.g., 1,000 to 2,000 rpm, particularly about the longitudinal axis of the pharmaceutical container 2, to impart movement to particles so that they are visible. The infeed opening 7 is located on the face 8 of the housing 3 so that a feed mechanism 9 located on the face 8 of the housing 3 can feed one or more pharmaceutical containers 2 into the infeed opening 7. Preferably, the infeed opening 7 is configured to allow a single pharmaceutical container 2 to pass through the infeed opening 7 at a time. The infeed opening may be circular, although other shapes are also possible. As shown in FIG. 1, the face 8 of the housing 3 that includes the infeed opening 7 may be the top face 14 of the housing 3 during use. A transport system 10 is disposed within the housing 3 for automatically transporting one or more pharmaceutical containers 2 from the infeed opening 7 to the inspection station 4 .As shown in FIG. 1 , an infeed opening 7′ and a transport system 10′ may be provided instead of or in addition to the infeed opening 7 and the transport system 10 to transport one or more pharmaceutical containers 2 from a surface 8 of the housing 3 that is not the top surface 14 or the bottom surface. The direction of transport of the containers 2 is indicated by the arrows. The pharmaceutical container inspection assembly 16 as shown in FIG. 1 also includes a delivery mechanism 19 for transporting pharmaceutical containers 2 away from the inspection station 4 or away from each of the multiple inspection stations 4 through delivery openings 20, as shown in FIG. 2 . In some embodiments, the infeed opening 7 may also function as a delivery opening. That is, after inspection, the pharmaceutical containers 2 leave the housing 3 through the same opening through which they were fed into the housing 3 (as indicated by the dashed arrows).

[0043] Figure 1 further shows that the feed opening 7 may be positioned vertically above the inspection station 4 so that the transport system 10 can transport one or more pharmaceutical containers 2 vertically, i.e., downward, from the feed opening 7 to the inspection station 4.

[0044] The pharmaceutical container 2 may be at least partially transparent so that the contents of the container 2 can be observed from outside the pharmaceutical container 2. The pharmaceutical container 2 may further contain liquids and / or solids. The container 2 may be formed by a syringe 15, a vial, a bottle or an ampoule, and the container 2 contains a pharmaceutical product.

[0045] FIG. 2 shows a second schematic and exemplary embodiment of a pharmaceutical container inspection assembly 16 having a pharmaceutical container inspection device 1 according to the present invention, which includes two inspection stations 4. That is, as shown in FIG. 2, a plurality of inspection stations 4, e.g., two, are arranged in the housing 3. Each inspection station 4 includes an inspection system 5 having an inspection apparatus 6 configured to inspect a single pharmaceutical container 2 for container defects. Each inspection system 5 is configured to use a manipulator to shake the single pharmaceutical container 2 during inspection in the inspection station 4, to impart movement to particles present in the container 2 or to change the observation position or angle. A transport system 10, 10′ in the housing 3 is arranged to automatically transport the pharmaceutical container 2 fed through the feed openings 7, 7′ to each of the inspection stations 4. After inspection, the pharmaceutical container 2 can be moved out of the housing 3 by a feed mechanism 19 and a feed opening 20. The pharmaceutical container 2 can also be ejected from the feed openings 7, 7″.

[0046] FIG. 3 illustrates an exemplary embodiment of an inspection system 5 for use in a pharmaceutical container inspection device 1 according to the present invention, such as the pharmaceutical container inspection device 1 illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 and 4 and 5. Preferably, the inspection system 5 is configured to engage or support a single pharmaceutical container 2 at one or more engagement positions 11 on the single pharmaceutical container 2 (at both ends of the pharmaceutical container 2, e.g., at the lower and / or upper ends of the single pharmaceutical container 2, e.g., in the form of a syringe 15 (the upper end of the syringe 15 having an injection end 28 with a syringe cap 18). The inspection apparatus 6 may include one or more (e.g., two) observation devices 12, e.g., in the form of a camera, for viewing the container 2 in the inspection station 4. The inspection system 5 may include one or more lighting devices 13, e.g., a backlight with a pair of (angled) top / bottom lights as illustrated in FIG. 3, for illuminating the single pharmaceutical container 2 in the inspection station 4 as the single pharmaceutical container is viewed by the one or more observation devices 12. Specific light filters can be used to prevent different lighting devices from interfering with each other or from interfering with measurements performed with other lighting devices. Preferably, one or more observation devices 12 are arranged on one side of the single pharmaceutical container 2, and one or more illumination devices 13 are arranged on the opposite side of the single pharmaceutical container 2. A manipulator 27 is also shown. The inspection includes inspection steps, and the inspection system 5 is configured to perform several (e.g., all) of the inspection steps at the inspection station 4. As shown in FIG. 2 , in the lower engagement position 11, the single pharmaceutical container 2 may be held by an engagement device, which may also serve as the transport system 10. The engagement device 10 may be formed, for example, by a mechanically or electrically driven “elevator” configured to receive one or more pharmaceutical containers 2 from the infeed opening 7 for transporting the one or more pharmaceutical containers 2 into the inspection station 4. The engagement device 10 may also be used to transport the single pharmaceutical container 2 back to the infeed opening 7 after inspection, as described above. The engagement device may be part of the manipulator 27.

[0047] FIG. 4 shows a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of a drug container inspection assembly 16 having a drug container inspection device 1 according to the present invention, which has two inspection stations, when the drug container inspection assembly 16 is in a closed state, i.e., when a lid 24 is provided and closed on the front side of the drug container inspection device 1. As shown in FIG. 4, the feed mechanism 9 holds a nest 17 of syringes 15 (the feed mechanism 19 may also hold vials, bottles, or ampoules). Here, the feed mechanism 19 is configured to feed the syringes 15 from the nest 17 to the feed opening 7. As shown in FIG. 2, the nest 17 includes a syringe 15 having an injection end 28, e.g., including a syringe cap 18. The syringe 15 is placed in the nest 17 with the injection end 28 facing up. The syringe 15 is fed to the feed opening 7 with the injection end 28 facing up. The transport system 10 is arranged to automatically transport the syringe 15 from the feed opening 7 to the inspection station 4 with the injection end 28 facing up. 4, the nests 17 may have, for example, an 8x8 configuration (with the rows of syringes 15 slightly staggered), although other configurations are contemplated. The infeed mechanism 9 may include a nest platform 22 for holding the nests 17. The nest platform 22 may be movably connected to an infeed table 26 by mechanical links 21, such as two pairs of opposing mechanical links 21, and joints 23. Preferably, the infeed mechanism 9 is configured to move the nest platform 22 above the upper surface of the infeed table 26 to automatically position each individual syringe 15 to be inspected above the infeed opening 7.

[0048] The delivery mechanism 19 may include, for example, rails 25 to move the pharmaceutical container 2 away from the container inspection device 1 after inspection.

[0049] Figure 5 shows a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of a pharmaceutical container inspection assembly 16 having a pharmaceutical container inspection device 1 according to the present invention, which has two inspection stations 4, when the pharmaceutical container inspection assembly 16 is in an open state, i.e., when the lid 24 on the front side of the pharmaceutical container inspection device 1 is open to provide a clear view of the inside of the pharmaceutical container inspection device 1.

[0050] Generally speaking, the present invention also provides a method for inspecting a single pharmaceutical container 2 using the pharmaceutical container inspection device 1 or pharmaceutical container inspection assembly 16 described above, for example as shown in Figures 1 and 2 and 4 and 5. The method comprises: automatically transporting one or more pharmaceutical containers (2) to an inspection station (4) by a transport system (10); Inspecting a single pharmaceutical container (2) for container defects using an inspection system (5) comprising an inspection device (6), the inspection system (5) performing a plurality of inspection steps at an inspection station (4); agitating a single pharmaceutical container (2) during inspection by the inspection device (6) to improve visibility of container defects; Includes:

[0051] FIG. 6 shows a schematic diagram of an exemplary embodiment of a method for feeding syringes 15 from a syringe nest 17 through the feed opening 7 into the delivery system 10 with their injection ends 28 facing up. Typically, syringes 15 are supplied in nests 17 and tubs. The syringes 15 hang in the tubs and are placed in the nests 17 with their injection ends 28 (e.g., equipped with syringe caps 18) facing down. The nests 17 and syringes 15 are removed from the tubs with a so-called "flipping tool." Using the flipping tool, the nests 17 can be rotated without the syringes 15 falling out. The nests 17 are rotated so that the syringes 15 can stand (be supported) on the feed table 26, as shown in FIG. 6. After the nests 17 are rotated, they can slide on the feed table to ensure that all syringes are moved into one of the feed openings. The syringes 15 can be lowered one by one through the infeed opening 7, as shown in Figure 6. The transport system 10 can "take over" and transport the syringes 15 to the testing station 4 (not shown in Figure 6). [Explanation of symbols]

[0052] 1. Pharmaceutical container inspection device 2. Pharmaceutical containers 3. Housing 4 Inspection Station 5. Inspection System 6 Inspection equipment 7(7',7") feeding opening 8 Housing surface 9 Feeding mechanism 10(10',10") Transport System / Engagement Device 11 Engagement position 12 Observation Devices 13 Lighting Devices 14 Top of housing 15 syringes 16 Pharmaceutical Container Inspection Assembly 17 Nest 18 Syringe Cap 19 Delivery mechanism 20 Delivery opening 21 Mechanical Links 22 Nesting Table 23 Joint 24 Lid 25 Rail 26 Feeding table 27 Manipulator 28 Injection end

Claims

1. A pharmaceutical container inspection device (1) for inspecting one or more pharmaceutical containers (2), An inspection station (4) having an inspection system (5) comprising an inspection device (6) configured to inspect a single pharmaceutical container for container defects, and a manipulator (27) that shakes the single pharmaceutical container during inspection by the inspection device to improve the visibility of container defects, A transport system (10) for automatically transporting one or more pharmaceutical containers, such as a single pharmaceutical container, to an inspection station (4), wherein the one or more pharmaceutical containers (2) can be sent to the transport system (10) by a feeding mechanism (9), Equipped with, The inspection system (5) is configured to perform multiple inspection steps at the inspection station (4). Pharmaceutical container inspection device (1).

2. A housing (3) wherein the inspection station (4) is located inside the housing and has a feeding opening (7) located on the surface (8) of the housing, allowing a feeding mechanism (9) to feed one or more pharmaceutical containers into the feeding opening (7), and the transport system (10) is arranged to automatically transport one or more pharmaceutical containers from the feeding opening (7) to the inspection station (4), A pharmaceutical container inspection device (1) according to claim 1, comprising:

3. The pharmaceutical container inspection device (1) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the manipulator (27) is configured to engage with the single pharmaceutical container (2) at a plurality of engagement positions (11) on the single pharmaceutical container.

4. The pharmaceutical container inspection device (1) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the inspection system (5) is configured to perform all of the plurality of inspection steps at the inspection station (4).

5. The pharmaceutical container inspection device (1) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the inspection device (6) comprises one or more observation devices (12) for observing the single pharmaceutical container (2) at the inspection station (4).

6. The pharmaceutical container inspection device (1) according to claim 5, wherein the inspection system (5) comprises one or more illumination devices (13) for illuminating the single pharmaceutical container (2) at the inspection station (4) when the single pharmaceutical container (2) is observed by one or more observation devices (12).

7. The pharmaceutical container inspection device (1) according to claim 2, wherein the surface (8) of the housing (3) having the feeding opening (7) is the upper surface (14) of the housing during use.

8. The pharmaceutical container inspection device (1) according to claim 7, wherein the feeding opening (7) is positioned vertically above the inspection station so that the transport system (10) can transport one or more pharmaceutical containers (2) vertically from the feeding opening to the inspection station (4).

9. The pharmaceutical container inspection device (1) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the manipulator (27) also serves as the transport system (10) for automatically transporting one or more pharmaceutical containers to the inspection station (4), or the transport system (10) also serves as the manipulator (27) for shaking one or more pharmaceutical containers.

10. The pharmaceutical container inspection device (1) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the single pharmaceutical container (2) is at least partially transparent so that the contents of the single pharmaceutical container can be observed from the outside of the container.

11. The single pharmaceutical container (2) comprises a liquid and / or solid, according to claim 1 or 2, the pharmaceutical container inspection device (1).

12. The pharmaceutical container inspection device (1) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the single pharmaceutical container (2) is a syringe (15), a vial, or an ampoule.

13. A plurality of inspection stations (4), each having an inspection system (5), wherein the inspection system comprises an inspection device (6) configured to inspect a single pharmaceutical container for container defects and a manipulator (27) that shakes the single pharmaceutical container during inspection by the inspection device to improve the visibility of container defects, and at least one of the inspection stations is configured to perform a plurality of inspection steps at the inspection station (4), A transport system (10) for automatically transporting one or more pharmaceutical containers to each of the inspection stations (4), wherein the transport system can send the one or more pharmaceutical containers (2) to the transport system (10) by a feeding mechanism (9), A pharmaceutical container inspection device (1) according to claim 1 or 2, comprising:

14. A pharmaceutical container inspection device (1) according to claim 1, A feeding mechanism (9) for sending one or more pharmaceutical containers (2) to the transport system (10), A pharmaceutical container inspection assembly (16) comprising:

15. The pharmaceutical container inspection device (1) according to claim 2, A feeding mechanism (9) for sending one or more pharmaceutical containers (2) to the transport system (10), Equipped with, The feeding mechanism (9) is positioned on the surface (8) of the housing (3) to feed one or more pharmaceutical containers (2) into the feeding opening (7). Pharmaceutical container inspection assembly (16).

16. The pharmaceutical container inspection assembly (16) according to claim 14, wherein the feeding mechanism (9) holds a vial, ampoule, syringe or a nest (17) of syringes (15).

17. The feeding mechanism (9) holds a vial, ampoule, syringe or syringe (15) nest (17), The pharmaceutical container inspection assembly (16) according to claim 15, wherein the feeding mechanism is configured to feed the syringe, vial, or ampoule to the feeding opening (7), or, if applicable, to feed the syringe from the nest to the feeding opening (7).

18. The pharmaceutical container inspection assembly (16) according to claim 16, wherein the nest (17) comprises a syringe (15) having an injection end (28) equipped with, for example, a syringe cap (18), the syringe is placed in the nest with the injection end facing upward, and the syringe is sent to the transport system (10) with the injection end facing upward.

19. The pharmaceutical container inspection assembly (16) according to claim 17, wherein the nest (17) comprises a syringe (15) having an injection end (28) equipped with, for example, a syringe cap (18), the syringe is placed in the nest with the injection end facing upward, the syringe is sent to the transport system (10) with the injection end facing upward, and the syringe is sent to the feeding opening (7) with the injection end (28) facing upward.

20. The pharmaceutical container inspection assembly (16) according to claim 18, wherein the transport system (10) is arranged to automatically transport the syringe (15) to the inspection station (4) with the injection end (28) facing upward.

21. The pharmaceutical container inspection assembly (16) according to claim 19, wherein the transport system (10) is arranged to automatically transport the syringe (15) to the inspection station (4) with the injection end (28) facing upward, and the transport system (10) is arranged to automatically transport the syringe (15) from the feeding opening (7) to the inspection station (4) with the injection end (28) facing upward.

22. A pharmaceutical container inspection assembly (16) according to claim 14 or 15, comprising a dispensing mechanism (19) for transporting a single pharmaceutical container (2) away from the inspection station (4).

23. A method for inspecting a single pharmaceutical container (2) using a pharmaceutical container inspection device (1) according to claim 1 or 2 or a pharmaceutical container inspection assembly (16) according to claim 14 or 15, The transport system (10) automatically transports one or more pharmaceutical containers to the inspection station (4), The inspection system (5) comprising the inspection device (6) is used to inspect a single pharmaceutical container for container defects, wherein the inspection system (5) performs a plurality of inspection steps at the inspection station (4), To improve the visibility of container defects by shaking the single pharmaceutical container during inspection by the inspection device, Methods that include...

24. A feeding mechanism (9) for sending one or more pharmaceutical containers (2) to the transport system (10) of the pharmaceutical container inspection device (1) according to claim 1 or 2.

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