Sterile Packing Container with Ergonomic Loading Hatch
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current packing systems in sterile environments, such as those used for pharmaceutical products, face challenges with laborious and potentially contaminating loading operations for caps into hoppers, as well as uncontrolled article supply, leading to ergonomic issues and risk of contamination.
Innovation Solution
A loading and supply system with a container element that can be moved to ergonomic heights and rotated to control the unloading of articles into the sterile environment, eliminating the need for external support and ensuring controlled, aseptic conditions by positioning the loading and unloading openings appropriately within the sterile environment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the hatch and conveyor element are positioned at high altitude corresponding to the hopper supply zone, then the articles can be supplied to the operating station, but the operator experiences ergonomic issues and laborious operations
Solution Approach 1:
The container element is made movable between a lowered position at hatch level and a raised position at hopper level, allowing the operator to load articles ergonomically at ground level and then automatically supply them to the high-positioned operating station through controlled movement
Solution Approach 2:
The solution introduces vertical movement dimension to the loading system, transitioning from a static high-positioned loading point to a dynamically adjustable container that moves between ground level and hopper level, resolving the ergonomic contradiction
2Ease of operation
If the operator manually loads articles into the conveyor element at high position, then the loading operation can be performed, but the risk of contamination to the sterile environment increases
Solution Approach 1:
The loading operation is extracted from the sterile environment by positioning the hatch and container loading point outside the sterile boundary, allowing manual loading to occur in a non-sterile zone while only the sealed container enters the sterile environment
Solution Approach 2:
The container element acts as an intermediary between the non-sterile loading zone and the sterile operating environment, transferring articles without direct operator contact with the sterile space
3Productivity
If the container element is positioned at the hatch for loading, then articles can be loaded efficiently, but the container cannot simultaneously supply articles to the operating station
Solution Approach 1:
The container element dynamically transitions between loading position at the hatch and supply position at the hopper, enabling it to fulfill multiple functional requirements sequentially through controlled movement
Solution Approach 2:
The container is preliminarily positioned at the hatch for complete loading of articles before being moved to the hopper position, allowing efficient batch loading followed by controlled supply to the operating station
Data Source
AI summary
A packing apparatus for use in a sterile environment has an article loading and supply system. The loading system has a hatch in a first wall (P1) positioned at a height corresponding to a normal and ergonomic working height for an operator. The hatch faces an operating station which is to be supplied with the articles. A container element (2) has an internal volume (25) for containing articles, with a first article loading opening (21) and a second article unloading opening (22). The container element (2) is positioned in the sterile environment and is movable so that it can be positioned in a lowered position (PA) which corresponds to the hatch position for loading articles through the first loading opening, and then positionable in a raised position (PS) in which the second loading opening (22) is above the operating station (S1) for unloading the articles to be supplied thereto.