METHOD AND ARRANGEMENT FOR FILLING A STERILE CONTAINER

Abstract

Method for filling a sterile container, in particular a bottle, with a liquid, wherein a sterile connection is established between a flexible bag and a first opening of the container, a sterile connection is established between a second opening of the container and a source of the liquid to be filled into the container, the liquid is filled into the container, a gas, in particular air, which is present in the container is displaced by the liquid and forced into the flexible bag while increasing the volume of the flexible bag and the connection between the source of liquid and the second opening of the container is severed in a sterile way.

Claims

1. Method for filling a sterile container, in particular a bottle, with a liquid (2), wherein a sterile connection is established between a flexible bag and a first opening of the container, a sterile connection is established between a second opening of the container and a source of the liquid to be filled into the container, the liquid is filled into the container, a gas, in particular air, which is present in the container is displaced by the liquid and forced into the flexible bag while increasing the volume of the flexible bag and the connection between the source of liquid and the second opening of the container is severed in a sterile way.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the connection between the flexible bag and the first opening of the container is severed in a sterile way.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein for the connection between the flexible bag and the first opening of the container tubing and/or a sterile connector is used.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein for the connection between the second opening and the source of liquid tubing and/or a sterile connector is used.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the connection between the first opening of the container and the flexible bag or the connection between the second opening of the container and the source of liquid is severed by fusing and/or welding shut tubing and/or decoupling a sterile connector.

6. Arrangement for filling a sterile container, in particular a bottle, comprising the sterile container and a sterile flexible bag, wherein the flexible bag is in fluid communication with the container via a first opening of the container, the container comprises a second opening and a sealed connecting device for connecting in a sterile way the container to a source of liquid to be filled into the container.

7. The arrangement according to claim 6, wherein the sealed connecting device is a sterile connector.

Description

[0039] FIG. 1 an arrangement according to the invention with the container connected to a source of liquid,

[0040] FIG. 2 an arrangement according to the invention,

[0041] FIG. 3a the arrangement of FIG. 1 after filling the container and

[0042] FIG. 3b the flexible bag in a side view.

[0043] FIG. 1 shows an arrangement comprising a container 1 in the form of a bottle, e.g. made from glass or plastic. A first opening 4 of the bottle is connected to the flexible bag 3 via tubing 8 (e.g. made also from plastic).

[0044] A second opening 5 of the bottle is connected to a source 6 of liquid 2 to be filled into the bottle. Also for this connection tubing 8 is used.

[0045] Additionally, in this embodiment a sterile connector 9 is used to facilitate a very easy connecting and/or disconnecting of the source 6 with/from the bottle in a sterile manner.

[0046] The arrangement shown in FIG. 1 can particularly easily be achieved if the arrangement shown in FIG. 2 is provided as a set or kit, such that only the source 6 for the liquid 2 needs to be connected to the second opening 5 of the bottle (e.g. via the sterile connector 9), in order to start the filling process.

[0047] The situation after the filling of the bottle is depicted in FIGS. 3a and 3b. The bottle (i.e. container 1) is now filled with the liquid 2 and the gas 8 (e.g. air) displaced from the bottle has made its way into the flexible bag 3.

[0048] As shown schematically in FIG. 3b by a dashed line, viewed from the side the flexible bag 3 has been “blown up”, i.e. increased in volume, in order to accommodate the displaced gas 8.

[0049] The source 6 and the flexible bag 3 can now easily be disconnected (i.e. the connections can be severed) and the container 1 is sterile without the need for any integrity testing.