Inspection device for inspecting pharmaceutical products, and method for inspecting pharmaceutical products

Abstract

The invention relates to an inspection device (1) for inspecting pharmaceutical products, comprising: at least two holding devices (2), each holding device (2) being designed to hold a respective pharmaceutical product; a transport device (3) which is designed to transport the at least two holding devices (2) along an inspection path (4); a drive (5) which is designed to rotate the at least two holding devices (2) about a respective holding device axis of rotation (AH); and an inspection unit (6) which is designed to inspect pharmaceutical products being transported by the holding devices (2) along the inspection path (4). The invention additionally relates to a method for inspecting pharmaceutical products.

Description

[0001] Inspection device for inspecting pharmaceutical products and methods for inspecting pharmaceutical products

[0002] The present disclosure relates to an inspection device for inspecting pharmaceutical products, as well as a method for inspecting pharmaceutical products.

[0003] It is known in the art to inspect pharmaceutical products for defects. Such an inspection can examine not only the pharmaceutical product itself, but also its packaging or container. Therefore, the pharmaceutical products to be inspected are moved past an inspection unit. During this process, it is advantageous to rotate the pharmaceutical products, enabling a comprehensive analysis from all sides. However, the speed at which the pharmaceutical products are moved past the inspection unit is limited, particularly because many inspection units use a mirror to obtain optical information about the pharmaceutical products. More precisely, a "moving" mirror (tilting mirror) is used, which tracks the objects over a certain period. Furthermore, the throughput is also limited due to space constraints.A device for rotating a pharmaceutical product needs sufficient space, so a closer arrangement of pharmaceutical products is not possible.

[0004] Therefore, the subject matter of this disclosure is the objective of providing a direction and a method that enable a higher throughput of pharmaceutical products during inspection. The above problem is solved by a device having the features of claim 1 and by a method having the features of claim 38.

[0005] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, an inspection device for inspecting pharmaceutical products is provided. The inspection device may comprise at least two holding devices, each holding device configured to hold one pharmaceutical product. The inspection procedure may include a transport device configured to transport the at least two holding devices along an inspection path. The inspection device may include a drive configured to rotate each of the at least two holding devices about a holding device rotation axis. The inspection device may include an inspection unit configured to inspect pharmaceutical products transported by the holding devices along the inspection path.

[0006] Compared to the prior art, the above embodiment offers the advantage that the distance between the holding devices can be reduced, since only a single drive is required to rotate the holding devices around their axis of rotation. In contrast, the prior art requires a separate drive for each holding device (e.g., two drives for two holding devices). This prevents the holding devices from being positioned as close together, thus reducing the throughput of the entire inspection machine. Furthermore, due to a resolver integrated into the drive, the size of the drive cannot be reduced. With a circular transport path, the radius of the transport path can only be increased within narrow limits, as this would result in high path speeds.The high web speeds, in turn, have disadvantages during inspection (the pharmaceutical products move too quickly, leaving less time for inspection). Furthermore, excessively high web speeds can damage or impair the pharmaceutical products. In addition, transferring the pharmaceutical products into and out of the holding devices is complex and can lead to malfunctions or damage.

[0007] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, all these disadvantages can be avoided by designing a single drive to rotate the at least two holding devices about the holding device's axis of rotation. This allows the inspection device to achieve a throughput of at least 600 pharmaceutical products per minute. According to a further embodiment, a throughput of even 1000 pharmaceutical products per minute can be achieved.

[0008] The inspection device can be a device designed to inspect pharmaceutical products. This includes examining the packaging, containers, and / or active ingredients of pharmaceutical products. Specifically, it can investigate container contamination and / or particles in a fluid. For this purpose, the inspection device can create and analyze images, i.e., image information or image data, of the pharmaceutical products. To enhance the diagnostic value, the pharmaceutical products can be conveyed past an inspection unit of the device during inspection. This ensures that the pharmaceutical products can be analyzed from various angles. Furthermore, the pharmaceutical products can be rotated during inspection, allowing them to be examined from virtually all sides.In particular, the pharmaceutical products can be rotated about their longitudinal axis. This can increase the reliability of the test. Pharmaceutical products can be vials, ampoules, syringes, ampoules, cartridges (cylindrical ampoules), vials, or the like. The holding device can be designed to hold one pharmaceutical product at a time. Optionally, each holding device is designed to hold a pharmaceutical product such that one longitudinal axis of the pharmaceutical product (i.e., an axis in the principal direction of extension of a pharmaceutical product) runs along the direction of gravity. In other words, the holding device can be designed to hold a pharmaceutical product upright. Optionally, the holding device makes contact with the pharmaceutical product at two contact points.In other words, the holding device can contact the pharmaceutical product at only two contact points. This ensures that the holding device covers the smallest possible area of ​​the pharmaceutical product, thus still enabling highly accurate inspection. The transport devices can have an essentially cylindrical shape and be rotatable around a holding device axis of rotation. In other words, the holding devices can rotate along with the pharmaceutical product held within them. The transport device can be a device capable of moving the holding devices along a transport path. For example, the transport device can define a circular or annular area on which a plurality of holding devices are arranged.In a preferred embodiment, the transport device is an annular disk that is rotatable about a transport axis by means of a drive. Holding devices can be arranged circularly on the transport device. In other words, a holding device can be rotated about the transport axis by being conveyed along the transport path by the transport device and additionally individually rotated about the holding device's axis. The rotation of the holding devices about the holding device's axis can be achieved by a drive. Optionally, a single drive is assigned to at least two holding devices. In other words, it may be sufficient to provide one drive to rotate two holding devices about the holding device's axis.This allows the holding devices to be positioned closer together, thereby increasing the throughput of pharmaceutical products. The drive can be an electric motor. Half as many drives as holding devices can be used, resulting in cost savings for the inspection device. The inspection unit can include an optical sensor that acquires image information from the pharmaceutical products. More precisely, the inspection unit can acquire and analyze a large number of images of each pharmaceutical product. This acquisition can be achieved, for example, with an image sensor. The inspection device can also consist solely of an image sensor. Furthermore, the inspection unit can incorporate a variety of different filters and / or lenses to capture different properties of the pharmaceutical products.The image information can then be evaluated by a control unit integrated into the inspection system. For example, a classifier can be used to check the acquired image information for potential errors or anomalies. If an anomaly is detected in a pharmaceutical product, it can be diverted downstream of the inspection device, thus preventing a defective product from entering circulation. Furthermore, the drive, which can rotate two adjacent pharmaceutical products simultaneously around the holding device's axis of rotation, ensures that the two adjacent products are oriented in the same direction relative to the inspection unit. This can be advantageous when the inspection unit performs a dual inspection.More precisely, the inspection unit can inspect more than one pharmaceutical product at a time. More precisely, the inspection unit can acquire image data from more than one pharmaceutical product simultaneously. By providing a single drive for at least two adjacent holding devices, it can be mechanically ensured that the position of two adjacent holding devices is identical. This offers advantages over signal transmission, as there is no delay in signal transmission or evaluation. Overall, according to the above embodiment, the throughput of pharmaceutical products inspected by an inspection device can be significantly increased.

[0009] Optionally, the holding device can be moved between a holding position and a release position. In other words, the holding device can assume two positions or states. In the holding position, the holding device can hold a pharmaceutical product. Holding can be understood as the holding device being able to secure a pharmaceutical product so that it is fixed relative to the holding device. Thus, the pharmaceutical product can move with any movement of the holding device. In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the holding device is moved along the inspection path, and in another embodiment, the holding device is rotated about a holding device axis of rotation. The pharmaceutical product can easily move with both movements in the holding position. The release position, on the other hand, is a position in which the pharmaceutical product is not held in the holding device.Rather, in the release position, the pharmaceutical product can be inserted into or removed from the holding device. Thus, the holding device can only assume two positions. Optionally, a switch between the holding and release positions can be triggered by a control signal. This allows, for example, the determination of whether the holding device is in the holding or release position based on its position along the inspection path. Optionally, the signal can be mechanical. This eliminates the need for complex electronic controls, and, for example, the position of the holding device can be changed based on its position along the inspection path due to a mechanical interaction. This represents a very robust and reliable method of controlling the holding device.

[0010] Optionally, the inspection device includes a plurality of holding devices. In other words, a plurality (i.e., more than one) of holding devices can be provided. Optionally, the entire inspection path can be equipped with holding devices. Two holding devices arranged side by side can be adjacent to each other. In other words, two adjacent holding devices can be in contact at least at one point. This can occur, for example, at a section of the holding devices that is not movable (rotatable) relative to the other holding device. This allows for a particularly close arrangement of the holding devices, which can increase the throughput of pharmaceutical products through the inspection device.

[0011] Optionally, each holding device can have a shaft extending along the holding device's axis of rotation, designed to transmit rotation from the drive to the holding device. Each axis of rotation of the holding devices can be arranged parallel to the others.

[0012] Optionally, the inspection device includes at least one control cam that can interact with a contact element to change the position of the contact element, with the holding device optionally being movable into the holding position or the release position depending on the position of the contact element. The control cam can, for example, be a wave-shaped element with which the contact element can be in contact. In other words, the control cam can include a contact surface along which the contact element slides as the transport device moves along the inspection path. For example, the control cam can define two states by having a raised section and a recessed section. When the contact element is in the raised section, it can move.If, however, the contact element is located in the recessed section, it can remain permanently in its initial position. If the contact element is displaced, the holding device can switch between the holding position and the release position. In one embodiment, the holding device can assume the release position when the contact element is displaced. This offers the advantage that the holding device is automatically in either the holding position or a release position, depending on its position along the inspection path. The control cam allows this switching between the holding and release positions to be automated so that the holding device is reliably moved into the desired position. For example, the transport path can include an input section where the pharmaceutical products are fed into the holding device.In this section, a control cam can be arranged along the transport path to ensure that the holding devices are in the release position. This allows the pharmaceutical products to be easily inserted into the holding devices. During inspection, the holding device can then be moved into the holding position, ensuring that the pharmaceutical products are securely held, for example, when the holding device is rotated around its axis of rotation. Furthermore, the inspection path can include a discharge section where the pharmaceutical products are removed from the holding devices. Here, too, the same or a different control cam can be provided to ensure that the holding device is moved into the release position. This ensures that the pharmaceutical products can be easily removed from the holding devices.The mechanical coupling between the control cam and the position of the holding device allows for a robust system that can easily switch between the holding position and the release position.

[0013] Optionally, the control curve extends at least partially along the inspection path. This allows the position of the holding device to be easily defined depending on its position on the inspection path.

[0014] Optionally, the inspection device includes at least one sensor designed to determine the position of at least one holding device around its axis of rotation. In other words, the sensor can determine the rotational position of the holding device. The sensor can output an angular position of the holding device. The drive can be controlled based on the sensor output. More precisely, it is not necessary for the drive to rotate the holding device along the entire inspection path. Rather, it is necessary, for example, that the holding device not rotate during the insertion or removal of pharmaceutical products into or from the holding device. Therefore, the drive can be operated only in phases.To ensure that a holding device is rotated at least once around its axis, it can be advantageous to know its position. This allows the sensor to determine and output the holding position of each device. The drive can then be controlled based on the sensor data. Optionally, the sensor can be positioned tangentially to a circular inspection path. This allows the sensor more time to detect the position of each holding device. Optionally, the holding devices can have at least one marker that can be detected by the sensor. This marker can serve as an identification element that the sensor can easily detect. Because the marker's position on each holding device is known, the sensor can easily determine the holding device's orientation.This can increase detection accuracy regardless of distance.

[0015] Optionally, a condition sensor can be provided, designed to detect a mechanical defect in the holding device. More precisely, the condition sensor can monitor a rotational axis of the holding device. For example, the condition sensor can detect a break in the drive shaft of the holding device. This allows for rapid defect detection. The sensor can be positioned stationary relative to the transport system. In other words, the holding devices can be moved past the condition sensor.

[0016] A resolver encoder is optionally used to control the drive. The resolver encoder is optionally integrated into the drive. Hereinafter, the resolver encoder will simply be referred to as the resolver. A resolver is a rotating angle sensor that generates sinusoidal and cosine signals via inductive coupling, corresponding to the rotational angle of a shaft. The resolver can be used as an electromechanical rotary encoder. It can be used to determine angular position and / or rotational speed. Its operation can be based on inductive coupling between an excitation winding and one or more sensing windings. The output signals can be sinusoidal and / or cosine. The angle can be determined from the ratio of these signals. A resolver can exhibit high robustness against environmental influences. Its use is particularly suitable for environments with increased mechanical or thermal stresses.

[0017] Optionally, the contact element can be designed as a roller. Optionally, the roller can be rotated around a roller pivot axis. This reduces friction between the contact element and the control cam. Furthermore, it reduces wear and noise generation. This can increase the overall durability of the system.

[0018] Optionally, the control cam runs at least partially along the inspection path. The control cam can be provided only in those areas where the holding device must be moved into the release position. In the remaining areas, the control cam can be omitted, leaving the contact element in its initial position. In the initial position of the contact element, the holding device can be in the holding position. Only when the contact element is moved, particularly by the control cam, can the holding device move into the release position. Therefore, it is only necessary to provide a control cam at those points along the inspection path where the release position of the holding device is required.

[0019] Optionally, the holding device is designed to contact a medical product from two opposite sides. In other words, the holding device can be in contact with the pharmaceutical product at only two contact points. This minimizes the surface area required for holding the device, ensuring that as little of the pharmaceutical product as possible is covered during inspection. Nevertheless, two opposing contact points are sufficient to securely hold the pharmaceutical product during inspection.

[0020] The holding device can optionally be detachably mounted on the inspection device. This allows the holding device to be interchangeable. This offers the advantage that different formats or different pharmaceutical products can be handled by the inspection device. Some pharmaceutical products have a larger diameter than others, making it necessary to adjust the holding device accordingly. By changing the holding device, it is possible to address each pharmaceutical product individually, so that even very sensitive pharmaceutical products can be held securely and without damage. Optionally, the holding device can be detached from the inspection device without tools.

[0021] Optionally, the holding device is attached to the inspection device by means of a click mechanism. A click mechanism is an example of a tool-free attachment of the holding device to the inspection device. For example, by manipulating the click mechanism, the holding device can be removed from the inspection device. A new holding device can then simply be placed onto the inspection device and snapped into the click mechanism. This allows for particularly easy replacement of the holding devices. Optionally, the direction of change, in which a holding device is removed from or attached to the inspection device, extends essentially parallel to the direction of gravity.This means that the connection between the holding device and the inspection device does not have to bear the additional weight of the holding device. This allows for a simpler design of the connection.

[0022] Optionally, the holding device includes two arms, which can optionally be folded. In other words, two arms can extend from the holding device, designed to make contact with a pharmaceutical product. Optionally, each arm has an L-shape. This ensures that the inspection unit has an optimal view of the pharmaceutical product. In other words, the L-shaped arms ensure that as little of the pharmaceutical product as possible is obscured by the arms or the holding device.

[0023] Optionally, two holding devices are combined as a holding device pair and can optionally be controlled together. In other words, two holding devices can be considered as a combined holding device (i.e., a holding device pair). In one embodiment of the present disclosure, two holding devices arranged side by side are driven by a single common drive. In other words, a holding device pair can comprise one drive. This eliminates the need to individually control or operate each holding device of a holding device pair, allowing them to be combined and controlled as a holding device pair. Thus, it may only be necessary to control one holding device pair. Consequently, the overall control system can be simplified.Furthermore, combining holding devices into pairs can increase the overall throughput of the device, as the control effort and space requirements can be reduced. In another embodiment, more than two holding devices can also be assigned to a pair. One drive can power two holding devices via a gear unit. The gear unit can be belt-free. In other words, the gear unit does not include a belt, tape, or the like, but transmits power exclusively via gears. This eliminates slippage. Furthermore, the need for regular belt or tape replacement is eliminated. Further details on the gear unit follow below.

[0024] Optionally, the two arms of the holding device can be designed to be foldable. In other words, the arms can be folded in a holding position and unfolded in a release position. Optionally, in a release position, the arms fold away in opposite directions. This creates sufficient space to remove the pharmaceutical product from or insert it into the holding device.

[0025] Optionally, the pair of holding devices can be controlled synchronously. In other words, the holding devices of a pair can be controlled analogously to each other. For example, all holding devices of a pair can always maintain the same angular position when rotated around the holding device axis. This can simplify the overall control system.

[0026] Optionally, at least two holding devices are mechanically coupled. These two holding devices can, for example, be part of a holding device pair. The mechanical coupling eliminates the need for a separate control system; instead, it ensures that at least two holding devices are controlled analogously to each other. Optionally, for example, the rotation of a holding device around its axis of rotation can be mechanically coupled. This ensures, in a simple (i.e., mechanical) way, that two adjacent holding devices, in particular, maintain the same angular position when rotated around their axis of rotation.

[0027] Optionally, the holding device can be rotatable around a pivot axis. In other words, the holding device can be mounted so that it can rotate around a pivot axis. Optionally, the holding device can be rotated continuously around the pivot axis. This allows a pharmaceutical product held by the holding device to also be rotated around the pivot axis. Therefore, the inspection unit can perform an inspection from all sides of the pharmaceutical product.

[0028] Optionally, the transport device is designed as a carrier on which at least two holding devices are arranged. In other words, the transport device can be a disc-like element designed to move the transport devices along the inspection path.

[0029] Optionally, the transport device can be circular or ring-shaped. In other words, the inspection path can also have a ring shape or at least a circular shape in sections. This allows the transport device to be designed particularly simply.

[0030] Optionally, the transport unit can be rotatable around a transport axis. In other words, the transport unit can be designed to be rotationally symmetrical. This makes the inspection device particularly easy to integrate into existing handling machines for pharmaceutical products. Optionally, the transport unit can be operated at a constant speed. This eliminates the need for intermittent or stepwise operation. As a result, the control system for the transport unit can be designed to be particularly simple.

[0031] Optionally, the inspection path describes a circular route, at least in sections. In other words, the inspection path can be designed along the outer circumference of the transport device.

[0032] Optionally, the inspection path maintains a constant distance from the inspection unit, at least in certain sections. This simplifies the inspection process, as it ensures that the inspection unit always captures the pharmaceutical products from the same distance. In other words, if an image sensor is integrated into the inspection unit, the focal point can remain constant because the pharmaceutical products also maintain a constant distance from the inspection unit. Consequently, the inspection unit can be designed more simply.

[0033] Optionally, the drive is connected to the at least two holding devices via a gearbox unit. In other words, the drive can be indirectly connected to the holding device. The gearbox unit has already been briefly described above. This provides a gear ratio. The gear ratio can be i=1. However, it is also conceivable to choose a gear ratio of i=2 or i=0.5 with a different drive. This ensures that the drive can be operated within an optimal range and that the holding devices can also be rotated around their axis of rotation at the desired speed. The rotational speed of the holding devices can depend, in particular, on the inspection unit. More precisely, the rotational speed can depend on how many images the inspection unit can generate in a given time.This can depend in particular on the shutter speed of an image sensor. Furthermore, the gearbox can allow multiple holding devices to be arranged on a single drive. In other words, one drive can rotate several holding devices around a single holding device axis. This offers the advantage that only one drive is needed for multiple holding devices, which significantly reduces the installation space. This allows the holding devices to be positioned closer together, thereby increasing the overall throughput of the inspection device. Furthermore, by using a gearbox unit as described above, installation space can be saved, as, for example, no belt or conveyor belt is required.

[0034] Optionally, the drive can be positioned in a gravity direction below the holding device. This allows for a particularly compact design. The gearbox unit can also be positioned in a gravity direction below the holding device. This further contributes to the overall compactness of the device. Furthermore, positioning the gearbox unit allows both the gearbox and the drive to be located in a gravity direction below the holding device. This would not be readily possible with a belt-type power transmission.

[0035] Optionally, the gearbox unit is designed to mechanically couple the rotation of at least two holding devices. In other words, the mechanical coupling of the two holding devices can be achieved by the gearbox unit. This ensures that both holding devices coupled to the gearbox unit can be operated synchronously, allowing them to rotate independently around their axis of rotation.

[0036] Optionally, the gear unit is designed to transmit rotation or rotation of the drive to at least two holding devices via gears. The gear unit can, for example, have an input gear coupled to the drive. Furthermore, the gear unit can have at least two output gears, each coupled to a holding device. The input gear and the two output gears can be coupled to each other in such a way that rotation or rotation of the drive can be transmitted to the holding device.

[0037] Optionally, the gears of the transmission unit are designed and manufactured with a profile shift. In other words, the shape of the gear teeth can be modified without altering the underlying base curve. Thus, a gear with a profile shift can utilize a different portion of the same curve (for example, an involute or cycloid) as the tooth flank compared to a gear without a profile shift. A positive profile shift allows for higher tooth root and pitting load-carrying capacity. This enables the transmission of drive force even in confined spaces. Furthermore, a positive profile shift can prevent undercutting. Profile shift can also refer to a controlled displacement of the tool profile relative to the tooth base circle during the rolling process. It can be used to influence the engagement conditions, tooth root strength, or flank load-carrying capacity.Profile shift can be positive or negative. It can be specified as a measure depending on the module. Profile shift is particularly important in the design of spur gears. One technical advantage of profile shift is the increased tooth root strength. A positive profile shift allows the tooth root cross-section to be enlarged, thus improving the gear's mechanical load-bearing capacity.

[0038] Optionally, the gears feature a sliding coating, which can optionally be made of polyamide and / or aluminum. Providing a sliding coating reduces gear wear. Furthermore, it enables operation with lower losses and reduced noise. Coatings made of polyamide and / or aluminum have proven particularly advantageous. Given the very small installation space of the gearbox unit, the polyamide and / or aluminum coating delivered the best results. Optionally, a grease bath is provided within the gearbox unit. In other words, all or only some of the gears in the gearbox unit can be arranged so that they are surrounded by a lubricant (e.g., grease). This allows them to slide against each other with less friction. Consequently, gear wear can be minimized.This can increase the durability of the gearbox unit. Furthermore, it is conceivable to use a closed gearbox with grease-filled steel gears.

[0039] Optionally, the drive is designed to operate the at least two holding devices intermittently. In other words, the drive cannot be operated continuously. This offers the advantage that the holding device does not rotate around its axis of rotation during the loading or unloading of pharmaceutical products. Instead, rotation is only necessary when the pharmaceutical products are inspected. This reduces wear and saves energy. The drive can be controlled, for example, by a control unit. Furthermore, it is conceivable that the drive could operate depending on the position of the holding device. For instance, the drive could also be activated or deactivated via the control cam.This ensures that when the holding device is in the release position, the holding device is not rotated around the holding device rotation axis.

[0040] Optionally, a drive can be assigned to at least two holding devices. In other words, it has proven advantageous for a drive to be exclusively assigned to two holding devices. This allows the inspection process to run efficiently. Specifically, the inspection unit can simultaneously inspect two pharmaceutical products held by two adjacent holding devices. By driving both holding devices together with a single drive, both pharmaceutical products can be positioned in the same orientation relative to the inspection unit. Furthermore, connecting additional holding devices via a gearbox has proven difficult. This may be due, firstly, to the fact that the holding devices move in a circular path, and secondly, to the need to transmit rotational energy over a longer distance.

[0041] Optionally, the drive offers a torque of approximately 0.3 Newton meters. This torque is sufficient to rotate pharmaceutical products satisfactorily, and the gearbox unit can optimally transmit this torque. Optionally, the drive offers a power output of approximately 52 W. This has proven advantageous even when handling larger pharmaceutical products.

[0042] Optionally, the drive includes a position encoder designed to output a signal indicating the angular position of the drive. The position encoder can be an electromagnetic transmitter that translates the angular position of the drive into an electrical value. Alternatively, the position encoder can be a potentiometer, incremental encoder, or absolute encoder. This allows the position of the drive, and consequently the position of the holding device, to be determined. The position encoder can also be a resolver. This is particularly advantageous when, during the inspection of pharmaceutical products, the side from which the products are being inspected is taken into account. Knowing the position of the drive thus allows the position of the pharmaceutical product to be determined during the inspection.In other words, the position of the drive can be used to determine the position of the pharmaceutical product. Furthermore, the drive can be operated depending on the pharmaceutical product being inspected. For example, when analyzing for particles in the pharmaceutical product, the holding device can be driven around its axis of rotation in such a way that particles in the pharmaceutical product begin to rotate along with a fluid. This allows particles to be dislodged from the wall or base of the pharmaceutical product. During inspection, the particles can then be easily identified and detected. The resolver can also be used to verify that the drive has been operated according to a predefined operating requirement. This ensures reliable operation and a good inspection result.

[0043] Optionally, the drive can be designed to be controlled based on the turret's output. In other words, a type of feedback control can be provided, continuously checking whether the drive is operating according to the operational requirements and thus functioning correctly.

[0044] Optionally, the holding device's rotation axis is essentially orthogonal to the inspection path. This ensures that the pharmaceutical product is aligned with the inspection unit in such a way that the unit can inspect the product optimally.

[0045] Optionally, the holding device's rotary axis can be parallel to the transport rotary axis. In other words, the pharmaceutical products can be transported upright along the transport path, oriented along their longitudinal axis. This also contributes to highly accurate inspection.

[0046] Optionally, the inspection unit is designed to acquire at least one image of the pharmaceutical products being transported along the inspection path. The inspection unit can include at least one image sensor designed to acquire at least one image of the transported pharmaceutical product. Optionally, the inspection unit is designed to acquire 15 to 30 images of each pharmaceutical product.

[0047] This ensures that each pharmaceutical product is photographed from multiple angles, thus improving inspection results. Furthermore, the inspection unit can analyze only specific areas of a pharmaceutical product, such as just one container wall. This allows for even more precise assessments. Optionally, the inspection unit features multiple photosensors, all of which can analyze the pharmaceutical products via an adjustable mirror.

[0048] Optionally, the image includes at least two pharmaceutical products held by adjacent fixtures. In other words, the inspection unit can photograph two pharmaceutical products simultaneously. This eliminates the need to move the mirror at a higher speed to image a single pharmaceutical product individually, thus increasing the throughput of the inspection device. In previously known inspection devices, the movement of the mirror is often limited because excessively rapid movement can damage it. Furthermore, an inspection unit can also have multiple stations where different properties of the pharmaceutical products are examined.

[0049] Optionally, the inspection unit includes a control unit configured to isolate multiple pharmaceutical products depicted in a single image. In other words, the control unit can be configured to split an image depicting, for example, two pharmaceutical products and forward it as two separate images. The control unit can then, for instance, feed the split images (i.e., an image of only one pharmaceutical product) to an external unit. This external unit can then evaluate the image of the pharmaceutical product in a known manner. Furthermore, the control unit can be configured to assign positional information to a single image of a pharmaceutical product created from an image containing multiple pharmaceutical products.The position information can indicate the position of the displayed pharmaceutical product within the inspection device. In other words, the position information can indicate the holding device that holds the pharmaceutical product. This allows the pharmaceutical product to be rejected if a defect is present. Overall, by imaging two pharmaceutical products in a single image, a higher throughput can be achieved with the inspection device. Optionally, the inspection unit includes an analysis unit designed to analyze the images of the individual pharmaceutical products. The analysis unit can, for example, use classification to determine whether the image data indicates a defect in the pharmaceutical product.Depending on the pharmaceutical product being inspected, different characteristics can be examined. For complex containers, such as syringes, the integrity of the finger grip can be checked. Furthermore, fluids contained within the pharmaceutical product can be inspected for particle contamination or similar issues. The analysis unit can also include a machine learning algorithm designed to output information about the product's conformity based on various image data inputs. A pre-trained algorithm can be provided via an external interface. Additionally, a machine learning algorithm can be retrained or further trained using external input.This allows for a response to various requirements and ensures that inspection results are always of optimal quality.

[0050] Optionally, the inspection unit is designed to generate a large number of images of pharmaceutical products using different filters and / or lenses. In other words, by adjusting the filters and / or lenses, pharmaceutical products can be examined according to specific requirements. For example, a single lens can be used to examine only the container wall of a pharmaceutical product. Different filters can be used to more easily visualize various particles within the pharmaceutical products.

[0051] Optionally, the inspection unit features an adjustable mirror to capture images of the pharmaceutical products. The mirror can be designed to transmit image information from the pharmaceutical product to an image sensor. Since the image sensor itself cannot be moved quickly, it is common practice to use a mirror for this purpose. However, the mirror has a limited movement speed. By capturing multiple pharmaceutical products in a single image, the throughput of the inspection device can be increased without needing to increase the mirror's movement speed. Thus, the inspection device's throughput can be increased without causing mechanical problems within the inspection unit.

[0052] Optionally, the inspection unit is positioned on the transport axis. In other words, the inspection unit can maintain a constant distance from the inspection path, which extends in a ring around the transport axis. This ensures that the inspection unit maintains a constant distance from the items being inspected (the pharmaceutical products).

[0053] According to another aspect of the present disclosure, a method for inspecting pharmaceutical products is provided. The method may include picking up at least two pharmaceutical products in two holding devices. The method may include rotating the two holding devices about a holding device rotation axis using a single drive. Furthermore, the method may include inspecting the pharmaceutical products by an inspection unit. Optionally, the position of the holding device is checked by an angle encoder during rotation. Furthermore, the inspection of the pharmaceutical products includes taking an image of at least two pharmaceutical products. The method may also include evaluating the images of the pharmaceutical products.The evaluation process can include splitting the images to generate output images that each contain only one pharmaceutical product.

[0054] According to another aspect of this disclosure, the above device is used for the inspection of pharmaceutical products. Furthermore, the above method is used for the inspection of pharmaceutical products. Individual features and embodiments of this disclosure can be combined with other features and embodiments to form new embodiments. Further developments and refinements mentioned in connection with a feature or embodiment also apply analogously to the new embodiment. Further developments and advantages mentioned in connection with the device also apply analogously to the method, and vice versa.

[0055] Preferred embodiments are now described in detail with reference to the attached figures.

[0056] Fig. 1 is a schematic and perspective view of part of an inspection device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0057] Fig. 2 is a schematic and perspective view of an inspection device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0058] Fig. 3 is a perspective and schematic view of part of an inspection device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0059] Fig. 4 is a perspective and schematic view of part of an inspection device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0060] Fig. 5 is a perspective and schematic view of part of an inspection device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0061] Fig. 6 is a schematic flowchart of a method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Fig. 1 is a schematic and perspective view of an inspection device 1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. More precisely, Fig. 1 shows a section of an inspection device 1. The inspection device 1 of the present embodiment comprises a plurality of holding devices 2. Each holding device is rotatable about a holding device pivot axis AH. Furthermore, the holding devices 2 are arranged on a transport device 3. The transport device 3 is movable along an inspection path 4. More precisely, in the present embodiment, the movement is from right to left. In other words, in the present embodiment, the transport device 3 is an annular element on which the plurality of holding devices 2 are arranged.The transport device rotates about a transport axis (not shown in Fig. 1). In the present embodiment, each holding device has two holding arms 22. The holding arms are foldable. The holding arms can also be described as jaws, which are designed to open in parallel. Thus, the holding device 2 can be moved back and forth between a holding position and a release position. In the embodiment shown in Fig. 1, the holding devices 2 are in the holding position. In other words, in the position shown in Fig. 1, the pharmaceutical products can be held by the holding device 2. The holding devices 2 are detachably arranged on the inspection device 1. Each holding device 2 has a click mechanism 21 with which the holding device can be easily replaced. In the present embodiment, only the arms 22 can be replaced.Thus, the holding device can be easily adapted to a variety of other pharmaceutical products. In another embodiment (not shown), larger parts of the holding device 2 can be removed and replaced by means of the click mechanism. The rotation of the individual holding devices 2 about the holding device axis AH is achieved by a drive 5. Here, two holding devices 2 are assigned to a holding device pair. Each holding device pair has a single drive 5. Furthermore, each holding device pair has a gear unit 9. The gear unit 9 has a plurality of gears 91. The gears can transmit rotational energy from the drive 5 to two holding devices 2. This allows the holding devices 2 to be mechanically coupled to each other in a simple manner.In another embodiment (not shown), the mechanical force is transmitted by a toothed belt or a V-belt. Furthermore, the transmission unit 9 has a flap that provides access to the gears 91 located therein. In Fig. 1, one of the flaps is shown open.

[0062] Fig. 2 is a schematic and perspective view of an inspection device 1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Fig. 1 shows that the transport device 3 is rotatable about a transport axis AT. A plurality of holding devices 2 are arranged on the transport device 3 and are movable along the inspection path 4. Fig. 2 shows that two adjacent holding devices 2 always have the same orientation of their arms 22. This is because two adjacent holding devices 2 are operated synchronously with each other. Furthermore, the inspection device 1 of the present embodiment has an inspection unit 6. The inspection unit 6 has a plurality of sensors (not shown in Fig. 2). The sensors can image the pharmaceutical products being transported along the inspection path 4 via a movable mirror 61.

[0063] Fig. 3 is a schematic and perspective view of a part of the inspection device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. To mechanically control the displacement of the holding device 2 between the holding position and the release position, each holding device 2 has a contact element 8. The contact element of the present embodiment is designed as a roller. The contact element 8 can interact with a control cam 7 (center of Fig. 2) to be displaced. If the contact element 8 is displaced, the holding device can be moved into a release position. If, on the other hand, the holding element 8 is not displaced, the holding device can remain in a holding position. Therefore, in the present embodiment, a control cam 7 is provided only section by section along the inspection path.This allows for material savings, as it is not necessary to provide a control cam in an area where the holding device is to be positioned in a holding position. Furthermore, a sensor 11 is provided in Fig. 3, which can detect a rotational movement of the holding device 2.

[0064] Fig. 4 is a schematic and perspective view of a part of an inspection device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. More precisely, Fig. 4 shows the condition sensor 11, which can detect a rotation of the axis of rotation in order to detect mechanical damage. The data from the position sensor (e.g., resolver) alone are used to control the drive 5. Each holding device 2 can have a marker 111, which is designed, for example, in the form of three pins. More precisely, the marker can comprise three cylindrical pins. This allows the sensor unit 11 to at least roughly check how the holding device 2 is oriented. Furthermore, the drive 5 can have a resolver that can output an absolute value. In conjunction with the sensor data, this allows the position of the holding device 2 to be determined.Furthermore, it is conceivable that calibration can be performed by combining the sensor data and the resolver data to determine the position of the holding device 2. Figure 4 also shows the contact element 8. In the present embodiment, the contact element 8 is designed as a roller and is rotatable about a roller axis AR. The roller axis AR can be positioned orthogonally to the holding device's axis of rotation AH.

[0065] Fig. 5 is a schematic and perspective view of part of the inspection device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. A drive pinion 31 of the transport device 3 is visible in Fig. 5. This allows the transport device 3 to be driven by rotation in a simple manner.

[0066] Fig. 6 is a schematic flowchart of a method that describes the individual steps of a method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. In step S1, at least two pharmaceutical products are placed in two holding devices 2. Subsequently, in step S2, the at least two holding devices 2 are rotated about a holding device rotation axis AH using a single drive 5. During this rotation, the holding devices 2 can be moved along the inspection path 4 by the transport device 3. Meanwhile, in step S3, the inspection unit 6 can inspect the pharmaceutical products. In other words, during the inspection by the inspection unit 6, the pharmaceutical products can be moved along the inspection path 4 and simultaneously rotated about the holding device rotation axis AH.

[0067] The inspection process involves the inspection unit capturing images. Each image shows two pharmaceutical products. A control unit of inspection unit 6 can then separate the images to obtain one image for each pharmaceutical product. These images can then be sent to an external unit, which inspects the pharmaceutical products based on the images.

[0068] Reference symbol list:

[0069] 1 Inspection device

[0070] 2 Holding device

[0071] 3 Transport device

[0072] 4 Inspection path

[0073] 5 Drive

[0074] 6 inspection units

[0075] 7 Control curve

[0076] 8 Contact element

[0077] 9 Gear unit

[0078] II Condition sensor

[0079] III Marker

[0080] 91 gears

[0081] 22 support arms

[0082] AH Holding device rotary axis AT Transport rotary axis

[0083] AR roller pivot axis

Claims

Claims 1. Inspection device (1) for inspecting pharmaceutical products, comprising: at least two holding devices (2), each holding device (2) being configured to hold a pharmaceutical product, a transport device (3) being configured to transport the at least two holding devices (2) along an inspection path (4), a drive (5) being configured to rotate the at least two holding devices (2) about a holding device rotation axis (AH), an inspection unit (6) being configured to inspect pharmaceutical products being transported by the holding devices (2) along the inspection path (4).

2. Inspection device (1) according to claim 1, wherein the holding device (2) is movable between a holding position and a release position.

3. Inspection device (1 ) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the inspection device (1 ) comprises a plurality of holding devices (2).

4. Inspection device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein each holding device (2) has a shaft extending along the holding device rotation axis (AH) and is configured to transmit a rotation from the drive (5) to the holding device (2).

5. Inspection device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the inspection device (1) comprises at least one control cam (7) which can interact with a contact element (8) to change a position of the contact element (8), wherein the holding device (2) can be moved into the holding position or the release position depending on the position of the contact element (8).

6. Inspection device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the control cam (7) extends at least sectionally along the inspection path (4).

7. Inspection device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the inspection device (1) comprises at least one sensor configured to determine the position of at least one holding device (2) around the holding device rotation axis (AH).

8. Inspection device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the holding devices (2) have at least one marker (111) which can be detected by the sensor.

9. Inspection device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein a condition sensor (11) is provided which is designed to detect a mechanical defect on the holding device (2).

10. Inspection device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein a resolver encoder is used to control the drive (5).

11. Inspection device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the contact element (8) is designed as a roller.

12. Inspection device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the holding device (2) is configured to contact a medical product from two opposite sides.

13. Inspection device (1 ) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the holding device (2) is detachably arranged on the inspection device (1 ).

14. Inspection device (1 ) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the holding device (2) is arranged on the inspection device (1 ) by means of a click mechanism.

15. Inspection device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the holding device (2) comprises two arms which are optionally foldable.

16. Inspection device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein two holding devices (2) are combined as a holding device pair and can optionally be controlled together.

17. Inspection device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein at least two holding devices (2) are mechanically coupled.

18. Inspection device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the holding device (2) is rotatable about a holding device rotation axis (AH).

19. Inspection device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the transport device is designed as a carrier on which the at least two holding devices (2) are arranged.

20. Inspection device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the transport device is rotatable about a transport axis (AT).

21. Inspection device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the drive (5) has a position encoder configured to output a signal indicative of an angular position of the drive (5).

22. Inspection device (1 ) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the inspection path (4) describes a circular path at least sectionally.

23. Inspection device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the drive (5) is connected via a gear unit (9) to the at least two holding devices (2).

24. Inspection device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the gear unit (9) is configured to mechanically couple a rotation of the at least two holding devices (2).

25. Inspection device (1 ) according to claim 23 or 24, wherein the gear unit (9) is configured to transmit a rotation or turn of the drive (5) by means of gears (91 ) to at least two holding devices (2).

26. Inspection device (1 ) according to claim 25, wherein the gears (91 ) of the transmission unit (9) are designed and manufactured with a profile shift.

27. Inspection device (1 ) according to claim 25 or 26, wherein the gears (91 ) have a sliding coating, the sliding coating optionally comprising polyamide and / or aluminium.

28. Inspection device (1 ) according to one of claims 23 to 27, wherein a grease bath is provided in the transmission unit (9).

29. Inspection device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the drive (5) is configured to drive the at least two holding devices (2) temporarily.

30. Inspection device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein a drive (5) is associated with at least two holding devices (2).

31. Inspection device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the holding device rotation axis (AH) is substantially orthogonal to the inspection path (4).

32. Inspection device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the inspection unit (6) is configured to obtain at least one image of the pharmaceutical products being transported along the inspection path (4).

33. Inspection device (1) according to claim 32, wherein the at least one image comprises at least two pharmaceutical products held by adjacent holding devices (2).

34. Inspection device (1 ) according to claim 33, wherein the inspection unit (6) comprises a control unit configured to isolate several pharmaceutical products shown in an image.

35. Inspection device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the inspection unit (6) is configured to produce a plurality of images of pharmaceutical products using different filters and / or lenses.

36. Inspection device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the inspection unit (6) has a mirror which is adjustable to obtain images of the pharmaceutical products.

37. Inspection device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the inspection unit (6) comprises an analysis unit configured to analyze the images of the individual pharmaceutical products.

38. Inspection device (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the inspection unit (6) is arranged on the transport rotary axis (At).

39. Method for inspecting pharmaceutical products, comprising: Holding at least two pharmaceutical products in two holding devices (2), Rotating the two holding devices (2) about a holding device rotation axis (AH) using a single drive (5), and inspecting the pharmaceutical products by an inspection unit

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