Syringe Cap Container with Guide Rods for Sterile Automation
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Solution Overview
Problem
The manual extraction and loading of closing caps from blisters into a screwdriver assembly for syringes compromises the sterility of the caps during the preparation of injectable pharmaceutical products.
Innovation Solution
A container with a cup-shaped body and a guide rod system that allows for automatic loading and unloading of closing caps, using a robot manipulator to move the guide rod from a locking to a release position, enabling caps to be fed into a vibrating plate within a screwdriver assembly without human intervention.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If manual extraction and loading of closing caps from blisters is performed, then the process is simple to implement, but the sterility of closing caps is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The container is designed with nested components: the cup-shaped body contains multiple guide rods that can slide within the body walls, and each guide rod has grooves that receive caps. The container itself nests within the vibrating plate assembly, allowing automatic cap transfer while maintaining sterility through automated handling.
Solution Approach 2:
The guide rods act as intermediary elements between the cap storage container and the vibrating plate. They provide a controlled interface for cap transfer, ensuring caps are properly oriented and transferred automatically without manual contact, thus preserving sterility while enabling automation.
2Reliability
If automatic loading system with guide rod is implemented, then sterility is maintained, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The automated loading system is segmented into independent functional components: the container with multiple separate guide rods, each guide rod with its own grooves for individual caps, and the vibrating plate with separate pockets. This segmentation allows each component to perform its function independently and simplifies the overall mechanism by avoiding complex interconnected systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The guide rods are designed to automatically perform multiple functions: they guide caps into proper orientation, transfer them to the vibrating plate, and can be automatically reset by the rod's return motion. The system serves itself through the coordinated motion of the rod and plate without requiring additional control mechanisms.
3Productivity
If multiple seats are provided in container for multiple caps, then productivity increases, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The container design with multiple guide rods serves multiple functions simultaneously: it stores multiple caps, provides individual guidance for each cap, enables parallel loading of multiple caps onto the vibrating plate, and maintains sterility for all caps. This multi-functionality increases productivity without proportionally increasing complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The container combines storage, guidance, and transfer functions into a single integrated structure. The guide rods serve both as structural support elements and as functional guides for cap transfer. Multiple caps are handled in parallel through the merged design of multiple guide rods within the same container body.
Data Source
AI summary
A container for closing caps for syringes has a plurality of seats, each of which is suited to be engaged, in a sliding manner, by a respective closing cap, and has a movable portion configured to move between a locking position of the relevant closing cap in the seat and a release position.