Sterile Blow Molding Airlock Ejection for Clean Room Continuity
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Solution Overview
Problem
In sterile blow molding processes, the ejection of damaged containers poses challenges as it disrupts the sterility of the process, necessitating careful handling to maintain cleanliness.
Innovation Solution
An apparatus with an integrated ejection device within the clean room or at its boundary, allowing for the removal of defective preforms or containers without disturbing the sterile environment, combined with a suction system to maintain overpressure and prevent contamination.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If damaged containers are ejected from the transport path in a sterile blow molding process, then defective products are removed from the system, but the sterility of the blow molding process is disturbed or interrupted
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a sterile ejection device as an intermediary component that operates within the clean room environment. This device includes a sterile ejection needle that can penetrate the container through the blow mold wall to eject defective containers, and a sterile receiving container positioned within the clean room to catch ejected items. The entire ejection mechanism is designed to maintain sterility while enabling defective product removal without process interruption.
2Reliability
If the ejection device is integrated into the clean room, then sterility is maintained during ejection, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The ejection device is designed with multi-functionality to reduce overall system complexity. The sterile ejection needle serves multiple purposes: it can eject defective containers, position receiving containers, and work in coordination with the sterile barrier. The integrated design allows a single device to handle both the ejection function and the maintenance of sterile conditions, rather than requiring separate systems for each function.
3Productivity
If ejection occurs in a region where blow molding devices are open, then ejection can be performed during working operation, but contamination risk increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by creating a localized sterile environment within the ejection device itself. The sterile receiving container and sterile ejection needle create a controlled sterile zone that is distinct from the surrounding open blow molding region. This allows ejection operations to occur during working operations while the localized sterile quality of the ejection device prevents contamination.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Ensures sterile operation continuity by enabling the ejection of defective items without re-sterilization, maintaining cleanliness and preventing contamination of the clean room.
Implementation Method 1
maintaining overpressure and prevent contamination
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus for forming plastics material preforms into plastics material containers has a transport device having a rotatable transport carrier on which a plurality of forming stations is arranged, wherein said forming stations each have blow molding devices within which the plastics material preforms can be formed by application of a flowable medium into the plastics material containers in a clean room within which the plastics material preforms are expanded into the plastics material containers, and ejection device for ejecting plastics material preforms or plastics material containers from the transport path. The ejection device is integrated in the clean room and/or the ejection device is integrated in at least one wall delimiting the clean room.