Rotating Container Carrier for Cleanroom Station Transfer
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing technologies require complex robotics and multiple access operations for handling objects in pharmaceutical processes, leading to increased complexity, cost, and potential disruption of laminar flow in sensitive environments.
Innovation Solution
A simple, cost-effective lifting and rotating transport device with movable base holder and receptacle, allowing objects to be handled within a transport unit without external robot intervention, enabling parallel processing and reduced robot complexity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If complex robot technology is used for handling objects at each process station, then object handling capability is improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system is divided into stationary process islands that remain fixed in the cleanroom, while a separate mobile receiving device handles object transport. This segmentation allows simple stationary processing stations to be combined with a dedicated transport mechanism, reducing the need for complex robotics at each station.
Solution Approach 2:
A mobile receiving device acts as an intermediary between the external robot system and the stationary process islands. The receiving device accepts objects from the robot, transports them to the appropriate process island, and enables processing without requiring the robot to directly access each station, thereby simplifying the overall system architecture.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple access operations to objects are performed by external robots, then processing flexibility is improved, but laminar flow disruption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The receiving device is extracted as a separate mobile unit that can be positioned close to the process islands without requiring external robots to repeatedly enter the cleanroom environment. Objects are loaded into the receiving device outside the cleanroom and then transported inside, minimizing the frequency and duration of robot access operations that disrupt laminar flow.
Solution Approach 2:
Objects are prepared and loaded into the receiving device before entering the cleanroom environment. This preliminary action allows the receiving device to transport pre-prepared objects to process islands, reducing the need for multiple access operations during processing and thereby minimizing laminar flow disruption.
3Ease of operation
If separate handling devices are provided for each process station, then object access flexibility is improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The mobile receiving device serves multiple functions: it acts as a transport carrier, a temporary holding station, and an interface between the robot system and process islands. This multi-functional design eliminates the need for separate handling devices at each station, as the receiving device can service multiple process islands sequentially.
Solution Approach 2:
The functions of transport, holding, and interface operations are merged into a single mobile receiving device rather than being distributed across multiple stationary handling devices. This consolidation reduces overall system complexity while maintaining the ability to access multiple process stations through the single mobile unit.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
An apparatus for transporting at least one object (11), in particular a pharmaceutical container, to multiple stations (50, 52, 54) is proposed, comprising at least one receiving device (30), at least one drive (16) for generating a rotational movement (21) of the receiving device (30) for transporting the object (11), located in the receiving device (30), between at least one station (50, 52, 54), preferably multiple stations (50, 52, 54), and a delivery and/or removal position (46) in which at least one object (11) can be delivered to or removed from the receiving device (30), wherein the receiving device (30) is designed such that the object (11) remains in the receiving device (30) when the object (11) is located at the station (50, 52, 54).