Robotic filling systems and methods

{
  "publication_number": "US11630801B2",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "B2",
  "title": "Robotic filling systems and methods",
  "abstract": "Systems and methods permit gloveless filling containers with a product. A filling arm is disposed within the chamber. An optical sensor is configured to locate and target openings of the containers within the chamber. Locations of the openings are used to guide the filling arm to fill the containers with a product.",
  "claims": [
    "1. A gloveless system for filling containers with a product, comprising: an aseptic controlled environment chamber; a filling arm disposed within the chamber; and a sensor configured to locate and target openings of the containers within the chamber, wherein the locating and targeting is used to automatically guide the filling arm without the intervention of gloves to fill the containers with product; and a stopper disk stack configured to hold stoppers for use in closing openings of the containers, wherein the stopper disc stack is configured to be introduced within the chamber without disrupting the aseptic controlled environment chamber.",
    "2. The gloveless system of claim 1 wherein the sensor includes an optical sensor.",
    "3. The gloveless system of claim 1 wherein the sensor includes a camera system.",
    "4. The gloveless system of claim 1 wherein the sensor includes a laser system.",
    "5. The gloveless system of claim 1 further comprising a first controller portion responsive to the sensor to target locations of openings of the containers, and a second controller portion responsive to the first controller portion and being operative to glovelessly guide the filling arm to fill the containers.",
    "6. The gloveless system of claim 5 wherein the first and second controller portions are part of the same controller.",
    "7. The gloveless system of claim 5 wherein the first controller portion includes pattern recognition software.",
    "8. The gloveless system of claim 1 wherein the filling arm is an articulated filling arm including at least a first member and a second member joined by an articulation, wherein the second member includes gloveless means for filling containers.",
    "9. The gloveless system of claim 1 wherein the filling arm includes a servo-driven robotic arm.",
    "10. A gloveless system for filling containers with a product, comprising: an aseptic controlled environment chamber; a filling arm disposed within the chamber; and a sensor configured to locate and target openings of the containers within the chamber, wherein the locating and targeting of the openings are used to automatically guide the filling arm without the intervention of gloves fill the containers with product; and an articulated holding arm disposed within the chamber including at least a first member and a second member joined by an articulation, wherein the second member includes means for holding a group of containers.",
    "11. The gloveless system of claim 10 wherein the articulated holding arm has a range of motion that allows the articulated holding arm to move the means for holding to a plurality of different positions in the chamber.",
    "12. The gloveless system of claim 11 wherein the means for holding includes means for holding a tray.",
    "13. The gloveless system of claim 12 wherein the sensor is configured to locate and target openings of the containers disposed in a tray while the tray is being held by the means for holding a tray.",
    "14. The gloveless system of claim 10 wherein the articulated holding arm includes a robotic apparatus.",
    "15. The gloveless system of claim 10 further comprising a controller for operating the articulated holding arm in response to the sensor.",
    "16. The gloveless system of claim 15 wherein the articulated filling arm has a range of motion that allows the articulated holding arm to move gloveless means for filling to fill the containers within the chamber.",
    "17. The gloveless system of claim 10 wherein the articulated holding arm includes a servo-driven robotic arm.",
    "18. The gloveless system of claim 10 wherein the sensor includes an optical sensor.",
    "19. The gloveless system of claim 10 wherein the sensor includes a camera system.",
    "20. The gloveless system of claim 10 wherein the sensor includes a laser system.",
    "21. The gloveless system of claim 10 further comprising a first controller portion responsive to the sensor to identify locations of openings of the containers, and a second controller portion responsive to the first controller portion and being operative to guide the filling arm to fill the containers.",
    "22. The gloveless system of claim 21 wherein the first and second controller portions are part of the same controller.",
    "23. The gloveless system of claim 21 wherein the first controller portion includes pattern recognition software.",
    "24. The gloveless system of claim 10 wherein the filling arm is an articulated filling arm including at least a first member and a second member joined by an articulation, wherein the second member includes gloveless means for filling containers.",
    "25. The gloveless system of claim 24 wherein the articulated filling arm has a range of motion that allows the articulated holding arm to move the means for filling to fill the containers within the chamber.",
    "26. The gloveless system of claim 10 wherein the filling arm includes a servo-driven robotic arm."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "By its very nature, the production of sterile pharmaceuticals by humans can be problematic. Humans can be a large source of microbial contamination. Also, with increased potencies, some drugs can be hazardous in occupational exposure. For at least these reasons, robotics can be used in dosage manufacturing to limit human contact. Isolator technology, which provides a solid barrier between a process and humans, can also be used in dosage manufacturing to limit human contact. To enable sterile processing, isolator technology adapted various vapor and gas sterilization systems, bringing about an advance in aseptic processing. Articulated cleanroom robots have been employed which utilize internal negative pressure with an exhaust to generate cleanroom capability. With the chemical sterilization and handling of potent drugs within the isolator, an internal negative pressure cleanroom with an exhaust is not feasible, due largely to the leakage potential. Sterile manufacturing is performed by various companies, often outsourced companies, including small cleanroom facilities and large pharmaceutical facilities. Often, small cleanroom facilities are not optimally equipped for pharmaceutical filling operations, which can lead to a lower quality product and higher risk for the outsourcing company. Conversely, large pharmaceutical facilities with high-speed lines generally can produce a higher quality product, but have relatively limited flexibility with respect to batch size, variations of product, and timing.",
  "cpc": [
    "G06F 16/00",
    "B25J 21/00",
    "B65B 3/003",
    "B65B 55/027",
    "B65B 7/2807",
    "B65B 7/2821",
    "G01N 35/0099",
    "G01N 35/10",
    "G06F 1/1626",
    "G06F 1/1632",
    "G06F 1/1696",
    "H04M 1/04",
    "H04M 1/72409",
    "H04M 1/7246"
  ],
  "ipc": [
    "B25J 21/00",
    "B65B 3/00",
    "B65B 55/02",
    "B65B 7/28",
    "G01N 35/00",
    "G01N 35/10",
    "G06F 1/16",
    "G06F 16/00",
    "H04M 1/04",
    "H04M 1/72409",
    "H04M 1/7246"
  ],
  "assignees": [
    "VANRX PHARMASYSTEMS INC",
    "V ANRX PHARMASYSTEMS INC"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "PROCYSHYN CHRISTOPHER A",
    "GOLD ROSS M"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2022-02-27",
  "publication_date": "2023-04-18",
  "grant_date": "2023-04-18",
  "priority_date": "2008-03-04",
  "application_number": "US-202217681810-A",
  "family_id": "41052375",
  "citations": [
    "JP2002068103A",
    "US2001050116A1",
    "US2003051326A1",
    "US2003056466A1",
    "US2003164200A1",
    "US2004084340A1",
    "US2004089373A1",
    "US2005132822A1",
    "US2005194059A1",
    "US2005229548A1",
    "US2006048844A1",
    "US2006086065A1",
    "US2006151048A1",
    "US2006259195A1",
    "US2007069087A1",
    "US2007267095A1",
    "US2008006675A1",
    "US2008083371A1",
    "US2008251473A1",
    "US2012165171A1",
    "US2012267055A1",
    "US4146924A",
    "US4402053A",
    "US4494583A",
    "US4572253A",
    "US4572253B1",
    "US4645993A",
    "US4798232A",
    "US4813845A",
    "US4881581A",
    "US4886412A",
    "US4917155A",
    "US4972883A",
    "US4985846A",
    "US5059789A",
    "US5305581A",
    "US5316733A",
    "US5491333A",
    "US5628665A",
    "US5943476A",
    "US5947951A",
    "US5965447A",
    "US6053219A",
    "US6227265B1",
    "US6256964B1",
    "US6431407B1",
    "US6836692B2",
    "US6857250B1",
    "US6863092B2",
    "US7013932B2",
    "US7322170B2",
    "US7474939B2",
    "US7559737B2",
    "US7896602B2",
    "US8226073B2",
    "US8458992B2",
    "US8777540B2",
    "US8842280B2",
    "US9862519B2",
    "USRE38747E",
    "WO2009111019A1",
    "WO2017072591A1"
  ]
}