METHOD AND DEVICE FOR CHECKING AN ADHESIVE CONNECTION BETWEEN A HOLLOW NEEDLE OR CANNULA AND A HOLDING PART

Abstract

A method is described for checking an adhesive connection between a hollow needle or cannula of a medical syringe and a holding part, wherein the hollow needle or cannula is inserted with play in a holding portion of the holding part, and an intermediate space between the hollow needle or cannula and the holding portion is at least partially filled with an adhesive body. The adhesive body is detected by means of an optical detection device in the form of a camera, and the detection device transmits image data relating to the adhesive body to an evaluation unit in which the data are evaluated. The ACTUAL volume and/or the ACTUAL configuration of the adhesive body is determined from the image data of the adhesive body and compared with a TARGET volume and/or a TARGET configuration of the adhesive body.

Claims

1. A method for checking an adhesive connection between a hollow needle or cannula and a holding part, wherein the hollow needle or cannula is inserted with play in a holding portion of the holding part, and an intermediate space between the hollow needle or cannula and the holding portion is at least partially filled with an adhesive body, the method comprising detecting the adhesive body by an optical detection device, transmitting data relating to the adhesive body from the detection device to an evaluation unit in which the data are evaluated, wherein the detection device has a camera and the method further includes generating image data of the adhesive body with the camera, determining or calculating an ACTUAL volume and/or an ACTUAL configuration of the adhesive body from the image data of the adhesive body, and comparing the ACTUAL volume and/or the ACTUAL configuration of the adhesive body with a TARGET volume and/or a TARGET configuration of the adhesive body.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the adhesive body consists at least partially of a fluorescent material and/or contains fluorescent particles.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the adhesive body is illuminated with at least one light source before and/or during and/or after detection by the detection device.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein the adhesive body is illuminated with light having a wavelength of ≤500 nm.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the adhesive body is illuminated with light having a wavelength of ≤405 nm.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein the adhesive body is illuminated with light having a wavelength in the range from 360 nm to 370 nm.

7. The method according to claim 3, wherein at least one light-emitting diode is used as the at least one light source.

8. The method according to claim 3, wherein the adhesive body is illuminated through the holding part.

9. The method according to claim 3, wherein the adhesive forming the adhesive body is an adhesive that hardens under light, and the hardening of the adhesive takes place at least partially synchronously with the illumination of the adhesive body by the at least one light source.

10. The method according to claim 3, wherein the adhesive is first pre-hardened, the detection of the adhesive body takes place subsequently by the detection device, and the adhesive is then hardened.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein the detection of the adhesive body takes place the detection device in a darkroom.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein the pre-hardening of the adhesive and/or the hardening of the adhesive takes place in the darkroom.

13. A device for checking an adhesive connection between a hollow needle or cannula and a holding part, wherein the hollow needle or cannula is inserted with play in a holding portion of the holding part, and an intermediate space between the hollow needle or cannula and the holding portion is at least partially filled with an adhesive body, comprising an optical detection device by which the adhesive body can be detected, and an evaluation unit to which data relating to the adhesive body can be supplied by the detection device, wherein the detection device has a camera with which image data of the adhesive body can be generated.

14. The device according to claim 13, wherein at least one illumination device by which the adhesive body can be illuminated at least before and/or during detection by the optical detection device.

15. The device according to claim 14, wherein the adhesive body can be illuminated with light having a wavelength≤500 nm.

16. The device according to claim 15, wherein the adhesive body can be illuminated with light in the range from 360 nm to 370 nm.

17. The device according to claim 13, wherein the adhesive body can be illuminated through the holding part.

18. The device according to claim 13, further including a darkroom in which the optical detection device is arranged.

19. The device according to claim 15, wherein the adhesive body can be illuminated with light having a wavelength≤405 nm.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0032] Further details and features of the invention are apparent from the following description of an embodiment with reference to the drawings, in which:

[0033] FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a device for checking an adhesive connection,

[0034] FIG. 2 is a longitudinal section through a test body, and

[0035] FIG. 3 is a representation corresponding to FIG. 2 with individual image regions.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0036] FIG. 1 shows a device 10 for checking an adhesive connection on test bodies 20. The test bodies 20 lie on a conveying device 11 in the form of a conveyor belt 12 which, according to FIG. 1, is moved to the right, as indicated by the arrow D. On the conveyor belt 12, the test bodies 20 are arranged in a row at a mutual distance and in a predetermined alignment and positioning.

[0037] An optical detection device 13 is positioned above the conveyor belt 12. The optical detection device 13 has a camera 18 which can record image data of the test body 20 located below it. The camera 18 is connected to an evaluation unit 16 via a line 17.

[0038] A lighting device 19 having a plurality of light sources 19.1, 19.2, 19.3 in the form of light-emitting diodes is arranged to the side of the conveyor belt 12, wherein a 1st light source 19.1 is arranged upstream of the camera 18, and a 3rd light source 19.3 is arranged downstream of the camera 18. A further 2nd light source 19.2 illuminates the test body 20 when it is arranged below the camera 18.

[0039] A darkroom 28 is provided, which is indicated only schematically in FIG. 1 and in which the optical detection device 13 and the camera 18 are positioned. The test bodies 20 can enter the darkroom 28 preferably through a closable entrance opening or a lock and are shielded from the environment in the darkroom 28. The 2nd light source 19.2, which illuminates the test body 20 when it is positioned below the camera 18, is also positioned within the darkroom 28. After detection by the optical detection device 13, the test body 20 can preferably exit the darkroom 28 through a closable exit opening or a lock.

[0040] FIG. 2 is a longitudinal section through the test body 20. The test body 20 has a holding part 22 made of glass or a transparent plastics material. The holding part 22 is designed to be tubular and has an interior space 24 which extends through the entire axial length of the holding part 22. In the right end region of the holding part 22, as shown in FIG. 2, a holding portion 23 is formed on the holding part. The holding portion 23 is characterized in that the inner dimensions of the interior space 24 are reduced to form a fastening space 24a. In the left end region of the holding part 22 according to FIG. 2, a placement portion 25 is formed thereon, with which placement portion the holding part 22 can be placed, for example, on a syringe body of a medical syringe.

[0041] A hollow needle or cannula 21 is inserted in the axial direction into the fastening space 24a with play, so that an intermediate space 27 is formed between the outer surface of the hollow needle or cannula 21 and the inner wall of the fastening space 24a, into which the adhesive forming an adhesive body 26 is filled.

[0042] The 2nd light source 19.2 is arranged at the axial end facing away from the hollow needle or cannula 21, i.e. on the left-hand side of the holding part 22 according to FIG. 2, the light of which is directed through the interior space 24 of the holding part 21 onto the adhesive body 26, acts thereon, and hardens it.

[0043] FIG. 3 shows an example of an image that is recorded by means of the camera 18 of a part of the test body 20. Individual regions B.sub.1 and B.sub.3 of the image are disregarded in the evaluation to determine the size or volume of the adhesive body and the determination of the position and configuration of the adhesive body 26, since experience has shown that increased light reflections appear in these regions B.sub.1 and B.sub.3. Only preferred regions B2, which are determined by the TARGET configuration of the adhesive body 26, are included in the evaluation of the image.

[0044] To check the adhesive connection, the test body 20 to be checked is placed on the conveyor belt 12. Shortly before the test body 20 reaches a position below the camera 18, it is subjected to light from the 1st light source 19.1 arranged upstream of the camera 18. As a result, the adhesive forming the adhesive body 26 is pre-hardened. The test body 20 then moves into the darkroom 28.

[0045] When the test body 20 to be examined has reached a position below the camera 18, illumination takes place by means of the 2nd light source 19.2, as a result of which the adhesive body 26 is charged with light energy which it then emits again with a time delay in the following, in particular if the adhesive consists at least partly of a fluorescent material or at least contains fluorescent particles. The adhesive body 26 lights up as a result of its fluorescence and can in this way be identified and evaluated with high accuracy on a photo taken by means of the camera 18.

[0046] After the detection of the adhesive body 26 by means of the camera 18, the adhesive body 26 is moved out of the darkroom 28 and then, in a position downstream of the camera 18, is subjected again to light of the 3rd light source 19.3, whereby hardening of the adhesive body 26 takes place.

[0047] Depending on the evaluation of the image data of the adhesive body 26 detected by means of the camera 18 by the evaluation unit 16, the test body 20 is either approved for further processing or sorted out of the production process as defective.