A system is presented for monitoring and controlling in a sterilizable environment the peeling of a cover from a tub sealed by the cover. The system employs a platform having a fiducial source locating structure for holding the tub, a cover removal station disposed to engage with the cover and to peel the cover from the tub, a light source disposed to illuminate a portion of the platform proximate the cover removal station, a light sensor sensitive to light from the light source and disposed to preferentially collect and measure light diffusely reflected from the illuminated portion of the platform, and a controller with software to operate the system. An associated method for monitoring and controlling the peeling of the cover involves moving a peeled portion of the cover into a predetermined peeling monitor zone within the illuminated portion of the platform, and measuring an intensity of light from the light source diffusely reflected specifically from the peeling monitor zone. The positioning of the elements of the system and the peeling monitor zone allow measured light intensity to be employed as a control measure for the peeling process.

The invention relates to a sealed container (1) comprising a flexible film (2) which is arranged to define an internal space (3) and a through-opening, and a sealed connection device (4) which is arranged to allow the flexible film (2) to be connected to a complementary connection device of a sterile enclosure, while ensuring sterile communication between the internal space (3) of the container (1) and that of the enclosure, the connection device (4) comprising a flange to which the flexible film (2) is attached, the flange delimiting the through-opening of the flexible film (2), characterized in that the flange is constituted by two different pieces distinct from each other, respectively forming an external sleeve (5) and an internal sleeve (6) the flexible film (2) being kept gripped between the external sleeve (5) and the internal sleeve (6).

The present invention relates to a method and system for aseptically filling of flexible packages containing dry cloth. Such a method may include a first stage that is performed in a non-sterile environment. The first stage may include cutting a first substantially dry cloth to a predetermined size; inserting the first cloth into a flexible package; sealing a first end of the flexible package; and sterilizing the flexible package. The method may also include a second stage performed in a sterile environment. The second stage may include filling the flexible package with a medical solution such that the substantially dry cloth absorbs at least a portion of the medical solution; and sealing the open end of the flexible package.

A method for sterilizing closure elements (3) for packaging containers (1), wherein the closure elements (3) are collected individually by a holding mechanism (25) in the region of a sterile chamber (12) and are placed onto an opening (4) of a filled packaging container (1) and connected to the latter, and wherein the closure elements (3), while being conveyed inside the sterile chamber (12), are treated by means of at least one sterilizing medium (6, 7, 52) during a sterilizing process.

Systems and methods permit filling containers with a product. A filling arm is disposed within a chamber. An optical sensor is configured to sense openings of the containers within the chamber. Locations of the sensed openings are used to guide the filling arm to fill the containers with a product.

The system comprising containment equipment is intended for the aseptic transfer of a powder, namely for emptying a container filled with powder into a collection container and/or for filling a container with powder from a storage container. The containment equipment has a working chamber surrounded by a housing. A robot is installed in the containment equipment, having an arm arrangement that moves over a pivot range. If there is a collection container it has an inlet leading from the working chamber, and if there is a storage container it has an outlet leading off into the working chamber. The container can be closed at least with a first closure element. A transfer head is mounted at the inlet into the collection container and/or at the outlet of the storage container, each protruding into the working chamber. The passive part forms the double flap together with an active part contained in the transfer head.

Described herein is a method of forming individual tubes or sachets containing fluent material, and a packaging machine for doing so, are described. The side of the foil which will be in contact with the fluent material when the package is formed is exposed to plasma in mist or aerosol form as the tube or sachet is formed from a strip of laminate material (1), which is folded about a former (2) into a closed tube or sachet which passes over the open end of a dispensing tube (3) from which the fluent material is dispensed. A mist of plasma is injected into the interior of the material tube as it is formed, extracted from the area once it has passed over the interior walls of the laminate tube.

Method and apparatus for eliminating oxygen in the filling of a flexible bag with a beverage utilizing sources of inert gas, vacuum, and beverage. A filling head regulates the injection of inert gas and applies a vacuum to the flexible bag the bag spout. The bag spout is separately rinsed of oxygen prior to recapping the same on the flexible bag.

A method for transferring at least one filling needle of a number of filling needles into an isolator which has a transfer lock, the method having the following steps: providing a first needle carrier within the transfer lock, said needle carrier carrying the number of filling needles; providing a second needle carrier in a first position within the isolator; robot-assisted transferring of the at least one filling needle of the number of filling needles from the first needle carrier to the second needle carrier; and robot-assisted placing of the at least one filling needle of the number of filling needles in the second needle carrier, wherein the at least one filling needle of the number of filling needles is held directly during the robot-assisted placing. A transfer system, in which such a method can be conducted, is also disclosed.

A filling machine configured to form, fill, and seal individual packages is provided. The filling machine comprises a disinfection station and a hygienic chamber downstream the disinfection station, which hygienic chamber is configured to reduce the risk for re-contamination of the packages after passing the disinfection station. An inner hygienic zone is formed inside the hygienic chamber, whereby a positive air flow is established from the inner hygienic zone to the hygienic chamber outside the inner hygienic zone.