Abstract:
An apparatus is provided for needle filling and thermally resealing containers having stoppers that are needle penetrable for filling the containers with a substance, and are thermally resealable for thermally sealing a needle hole in the stopper upon withdrawal of a needle therefrom. A container support of the apparatus supports at least one container having a resealable stopper in a substantially fixed position during needle filling and thermally resealing a needle hole in the stopper upon withdrawal of a needle therefrom. A manifold is drivingly mounted over the container support and comprises (1) a needle cartridge including a needle for penetrating the resealable stopper and introducing a substance through the needle and into the container, a needle mount for mounting the needle cartridge on the manifold, and a needle cover releasably coupled to the needle mount for covering the needle during transportation, installation and/or removal of the needle cartridge from the manifold, and that is removable from the needle cartridge upon mounting the needle cartridge to the manifold. The manifold further includes a thermal source for heating a needle penetrated region of the stopper and, in turn, sealing a needle hole in the stopper.
Abstract:
Apparatus is provided for molding and filling a container having a container body defining an opening in communication with an interior chamber for receiving a substance therein, and a stopper receivable within the opening for sealing the opening and substance received in the container. A barrier enclosure defines an aseptic chamber. A mold includes within the aseptic chamber plural mold cavities shaped to form the stopper and container body, and substantially sterile surfaces extending about and contiguous to the peripheries of the mold cavities. An assembly device including end-of-arm tooling having an engaging portion engageable with each of the container body and stopper is movable relative to the mold to engage and de-mold the substantially sterile stoppers and container bodies from the mold cavities. A source of sterile air is in fluid communication with the aseptic chamber and directs a flow of sterile air into the aseptic chamber and over the sterile surfaces of the mold for maintaining the sterility of the mold surfaces and stopper and container bodies during de-molding thereof. First flexible barriers are coupled to the mold between the sterile surfaces and the molding machine to substantially prevent the passage of contaminants from the molding machine therethrough. A second flexible barrier is coupled to the tool between the engaging portion and a base portion of the tool to substantially prevent the passage of contaminants from the base portion of the tool therethrough. A needle filling and thermal resealing station is configured to receive the sealed, empty sterile containers, needle fill the interior chambers of the containers, and thermally reseal resulting needle holes in the stoppers.
Abstract:
A device and method are provided for needle penetrating and filling a chamber with a predetermined substance, and laser resealing a resulting needle hole in the device. A needle penetrable and laser resealable portion of the device is pierceable with a needle to form a needle aperture therethrough to fill the chamber through the needle, and is laser resealable to hermetically seal the needle aperture by applying laser radiation at a predetermined wavelength and power thereto. The needle penetrable and laser resealable portion defines a predetermined wall thickness in an axial direction thereof, and includes a thermoplastic that substantially prevents the formation of particles released into the chamber from the needle penetrable and laser resealable portion during penetration by and withdrawal of the needle. The thermoplastic includes a predetermined amount of pigment that allows the thermoplastic to substantially absorb laser radiation at the predetermined wavelength, substantially prevent the passage of radiation through the predetermined wall thickness thereof, and hermetically seal a needle aperture formed in the needle penetration region thereof in a predetermined time period.
Abstract:
An apparatus has a valve body defining a first passageway, a valve seat, and a flow aperture extending through the valve body and coupled in fluid communication with the first passageway. A valve cover of the apparatus is formed of an elastic material and includes a cover base mounted on the valve body and fixedly secured against movement relative thereto, and a valve portion overlying the valve seat. The valve portion defines a predetermined radial thickness and forms an interference fit with the valve seat. The valve portion and the valve seat define a normally closed, axially-extending valve opening therebetween. The valve portion is movable between a normally closed position with the valve portion engaging the valve seat, and an open position with at least a segment of the valve portion spaced away from the valve seat to connect the valve opening in fluid communication with the flow aperture to thereby allow the passage of fluid from the flow aperture through the valve opening. A hermetically sealed variable-volume storage chamber stores therein multiple portions of the fluid and is connectible in fluid communication with the one-way valve assembly. A pump is coupled between the variable-volume storage chamber and the one-way valve assembly, and is configured to pump discrete portions of fluid from the variable-volume storage chamber, through the flow aperture, and through the valve opening to dispense the portions of fluid through the valve assembly.
Abstract:
An apparatus has a valve body defining a first passageway, a valve seat, and a flow aperture extending through the valve body and coupled in fluid communication with the first passageway. A valve cover of the apparatus is formed of an elastic material and includes a cover base mounted on the valve body and fixedly secured against movement relative thereto, and a valve portion overlying the valve seat. The valve portion defines a predetermined radial thickness and forms an interference fit with the valve seat. The valve portion and the valve seat define a normally closed, axially-extending valve opening therebetween. The valve portion is movable between a normally closed position with the valve portion engaging the valve seat, and an open position with at least a segment of the valve portion spaced away from the valve seat to connect the valve opening in fluid communication with the flow aperture to thereby allow the passage of fluid from the flow aperture through the valve opening. A hermetically sealed variable-volume storage chamber stores therein multiple portions of the fluid and is connectible in fluid communication with the one-way valve assembly. A pump is coupled between the variable-volume storage chamber and the one-way valve assembly, and is configured to pump discrete portions of fluid from the variable-volume storage chamber, through the flow aperture, and through the valve opening to dispense the portions of fluid through the valve assembly.
Abstract:
A contact lens applicator has an elongated housing defining an interior chamber for storing contact lenses, first and second triggers mounted on the housing, a depressor for depressing each eyelid where the depressor is drivingly coupled to the triggers, a pair of opposing wing-shaped members projecting outwardly from opposite sides of the rollers for providing a support surface for facilitating locating the apparatus over the eye, and a pusher assembly slidably mounted within the interior chamber for engaging a contact lens holder and applying a contact lens thereon to the eye when the triggers are actuated. The contact lens is stored in a cartridge within the elongated housing. The lens holder is movable within the cartridge upon actuating the pusher, and includes a predetermined amount of saline or other solution for defining appropriate conditions for storing the lens.
Abstract:
A sterile filling machine and related method are provided for sterile filling a container with a substance. The container includes a heat resealable stopper and a chamber for receiving the substance therein. The sealed, empty containers are subjected to radiation capable of penetrating through the stopper and chamber for sterilizing the container. The previously sterilized containers are then transported through an e-beam chamber, wherein an electron beam is directed onto a penetrable surface of the stopper to sterilize the penetrable surface. A needle is mounted within the e-beam chamber and moved into engagement with the stopper to pierce the sterilized penetrable surface of the stopper and inject the substance through the needle and into the chamber of the container. The needle is then withdrawn from the stopper and the filled container is transported outside of the e-beam chamber. Laser energy is then transmitted onto the penetrated surface of the stopper to fuse the stopper material and hermetically re-seal the stopper.
Abstract:
A container including a nozzle and body depending therefrom. The body is preferably tubular and defines an interior which retains a product to be dispensed. A cap engages the nozzle to prevent inadvertent release of the product. In order to dispense the product, the cap is removed and pressure is applied to the body and the nozzle allows release of the product. The nozzle releases the product without exposing the remaining product to the external atmosphere, thus the sterility of the interior of the body is maintained and the shelf life of the product is increased. The nozzle includes an inner body, coupled to the tubular body, surrounded by a flexible outer cover. A seam between the inner body and flexible outer cover forms a one-way release valve wherein a portion of the seam remains closed during dispensing the product.
Abstract:
An aerosol tip mechanism for an aerosol-type dispenser for dispensing liquid content has a flexible outer shell, a rigid cap portion composed of lower and upper portions, and a rigid nozzle portion having a rigid shaft received within the outlet portion of the flexible outer shell. The rigid shaft interfaces the outlet portion of the outer shell, forming a first normally-closed one-way valve. The lower and upper portions of the rigid cap portion form boots adapted to receive an outlet portion of the flexible outer shell, the boots thereby constraining a lateral motion of the outlet portion of the outer shell, and symmetrically centering the outlet portion around the rigid shaft of the nozzle. The rigid nozzle portion includes a plurality of liquid channels for delivering liquid from a reservoir to a swirling chamber defined within the rigid cap portion, which liquid channels are configured to minimize energy losses of the liquid and promote a more homogeneous fluid particle size in the dispensed aerosol. The aerosol tip mechanism provides for long-term sterility of the stored fluid, which in turn allows for preservation of the sterility of non-chemically preserved formulations, which may be in the form of suspension or liquid gels.