Automated container-emptying device equipped with means for collecting and gravity-emptying containers and comprising a product collection zone

Abstract

Disclosed is an automatic container-emptying device. The device is equipped with means for collecting and gravity-emptying containers and comprising a product collection zone. The device includes a dripper equipped with at least one element for supporting upside down containers. The dripper has two operating positions: a first positon for holding the containers to allow the product to drip onto the product collection zone and a second positon for ejecting said containers.

Claims

1. An automated container-emptying device configured to collect and empty containers by gravity, and comprising a product collection zone, wherein the device further comprises a dripper equipped with at least one support supporting one or more upside down containers, wherein the dripper has two operating positions: a holding position for holding the containers to allow the product to drip onto the product collection zone and an ejecting position for ejecting said containers, wherein the ejecting position of the dripper is such that used containers are caused to fall, by gravity, into a funnel for collecting the used containers.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein, in the holding position, the at least one support is pointing upwards from a horizontal shaft of the dripper.

3. The device according to claim 1, wherein the at least one support is a rod.

4. The device according to claim 1, wherein the dripper is configured to move from the holding position to the ejecting position by rotating.

5. The device according to claim 1, wherein the dripper is configured to be actuated by a rotary motion.

6. The device according to claim 5, wherein said rotary motion is configured to be actuated by a pneumatic actuator.

7. An automated container-emptying device configured to collect and empty containers by gravity, and comprising a product collection zone, wherein the device further comprises a dripper equipped with at least one support supporting one or more upside down containers, wherein the dripper has two operating positions: a holding position for holding the containers to allow the product to drip onto the product collection zone and an ejecting position for ejecting said containers, wherein the device comprises a robotic arm to collect and empty the containers by gravity.

8. The device according to claim 1, wherein said device is an automated device for emptying blood product.

9. The device according to claim 8, wherein said device is an automated device for emptying frozen product.

10. The device according to claim 1, wherein said containers are bottles.

11. The device according to claim 1, wherein said device comprises sensors for detecting the position of the dripper.

12. The device according to claim 7, wherein the dripper is coordinated with the robotic arm.

13. The device according to claim 12, wherein the device is configured such that, when the robotic arm is in a position for collecting a subsequent plurality of containers to be emptied, the dripper is in the position for holding containers upside down, allowing the product to drip onto the collection zone; when the robotic arm is in the position for inverting containers in the product collection zone, the dripper is in the ejecting position; and when the robotic arm has finished inverting containers, the dripper returns to the holding position so that the robotic arm can leave said containers to drain on the at least one support.

14. The device according to claim 1, further comprising metal components, wherein the metal components are made of stainless steel suitable for medical use.

15. The device according to claim 1, wherein the device comprises a plurality of said supports, each configured to support a single upside down container.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

(1) To aid understanding, explanatory yet non-limiting drawings are appended which show an embodiment of the automated device for emptying blood product containers according to the present invention.

(2) FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the automated device for emptying blood product containers in its entirety.

(3) FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the front portion of the robot emptying the blood product containers.

(4) FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the rear portion of the robot emptying the blood product containers.

(5) FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the robot placing the containers on the corresponding support rods of the dripper.

(6) FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the dripper immediately after ejecting the empty containers.

(7) FIG. 6 shows the operating cycle of the automated device for emptying blood product containers.

(8) FIG. 7 is an exploded perspective view of the dripper.

(9) FIG. 8 is a front elevation view of the dripper in the container-holding position.

(10) FIG. 9 is a side elevation view of the dripper in the container-ejecting position.

(11) FIG. 10 is a sectional front elevation view along the cut line X-X from FIG. 9.

(12) FIG. 11 is a side elevation view of the dripper in the container-holding position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(13) FIG. 1 shows that while a plurality of containers -2- are upside down in the dripper -1- and draining into the product-collecting funnel, the robot -3- is holding a second plurality of containers -2- still full of blood product. This figure shows the dripper -1- support in the container-holding position.

(14) FIGS. 2 and 3 show the robot -3- inverting the plurality of containers -2- above the product-collecting funnel -5- and show the frozen plasma -6- of the containers -2- falling, by the force of gravity, into the product-collecting funnel -5-. Both figures show that while the robotic arm -3- inverts the containers -2-, the dripper -1- is in the container-ejecting position. FIG. 2 also shows the funnel -4- for supplying the used-container crusher, into which the containers, completely empty, fall when they are ejected from the dripper -1-.

(15) FIG. 4 shows that once the robot -3- has finished inverting the bottles -2-, the dripper -1- has moved into the container-holding position. This allows the robot -3- to place the bottles -2- onto the respective support rods -11- thereof once the robot -3- has inverted the containers above the product-collecting funnel -5-, such that the contents of the bottles -2- drain into the product-collecting funnel -5-.

(16) In the container-holding position (FIGS. 1 and 4), the plurality of support rods -11- are slightly inclined with respect to the vertical towards the product-collecting funnel -5-. In the container-ejecting position (FIGS. 2 and 3), the plurality of support rods -11- is inclined such that the containers -2-, already empty, fall by the force of gravity into the funnel -4- for supplying the used-container crusher.

(17) In order to move from the container-ejecting position (FIGS. 2 and 3) to the container-holding position (FIGS. 1 and 4) and vice versa, the longitudinal shaft -10-, and in turn the plurality of support rods -11- rigidly connected thereto, rotates. Said rotation occurs through the upper plane of the shaft -10-, such that the bottles -2- are prevented from accidentally falling into the funnel -5- for collecting blood product.

(18) FIG. 5 shows in detail the set which, in this embodiment of the invention, is formed of the dripper -1-, the product-collecting funnel -5- and the funnel -4- for supplying the used-container crusher. This figure shows the dripper in the container-ejecting position. In said position, the longitudinal shaft -10- has rotated by actuation by a rotary module (not shown) until it reached a position in which the support rods -11- form an angle that allows the empty bottles to fall, by the force of gravity, into the funnel -4- for supplying the used-container crusher. The rotary module (not shown), which causes the longitudinal shaft -10- and the plurality of support rods -11- thereof to rotate, is housed inside the cylindrical housing -70-.

(19) FIG. 6 is an overview of the main phases of the operating cycle of the automated device for emptying blood product containers. As can be seen, the first phase -I- starts with the robotic arm -3- inverting the plurality of containers -2- such that the frozen blood product -6- falls by the force of gravity.

(20) In the second phase -II-, the robotic arm has left the plurality of containers -2- on the corresponding plurality of support rods -11- such that the blood product residue still inside the containers is drained out into the product-collecting funnel (not shown in this figure).

(21) In the third phase -III-, the dripper -1- moves into the container-ejecting position and the plurality of containers -2- that were draining fall into the funnel for supplying the used-container crusher (not shown in this figure). While the dripper -1- ejects the plurality of containers -2-, the robotic arm -3- inverts the subsequent batch of containers -2-.

(22) In the fourth phase -IV-, once the dripper -1- has ejected the containers -2- of the previous batch, said dripper -1- returns to the container-holding position so that the robotic arm leaves the plurality of containers -2- of the current batch on the corresponding plurality of support rods -11- thereof such that the blood product drains into the product-collecting funnel (not shown in this figure).

(23) The operating cycle of the automated device for emptying blood product containers shown in FIG. 6 is repeated in a cyclical and uninterrupted manner.

(24) FIG. 7 is an exploded perspective view of all the components that make up the dripper -1-. For illustrative purposes only, a bottle -2- held by one of the support rods -11- rigidly connected to the longitudinal shaft -10- is shown. As can be seen in this figure, on one of its ends, the shaft -10- is housed in a pivot bush -60-, and the other end of the shaft -10- is housed in a circular actuation plate -30-. Said circular actuation plate -30- is responsible for transmitting the movement of the rotary module -80- to the longitudinal shaft -10-. The circular actuation plate -30- is housed inside a circular disc -20-. A scraper -90- is positioned between the circular plate -30- and the hole of the disc -20- in which said plate is housed, which scraper is responsible for preventing the blood product from coming into contact with the rotary module -80-. Said circular disc -20- and the pivot bush -60- each fit into the corresponding support plate -50, 50- thereof. Said support plates -50, 50- are responsible for supporting the dripper -1- and all the components making up same.

(25) As can be seen in FIG. 7, the rotary module -80-, which is responsible for causing the longitudinal shaft -10- and the plurality of support rods -11- thereof to rotate, is housed inside a cylindrical housing -70-. Said cylindrical housing -70- is connected to the disc -20- by non-permanent connection means (not shown). A bush -40- made of teflon is positioned between the cylindrical housing -70- and the disc -20- and is responsible for making the closure liquid-tight.

(26) FIG. 8 shows the dripper -1- when fully assembled. As can be seen by the position of the support rods -11-, in this figure the dripper -1- is in the container-holding position.

(27) FIG. 9 shows the dripper -1- in the container-ejecting position. In said position, the support rods -11- form an angle relative to the vertical such that the bottle -2- falls, by the force of gravity, into the funnel for supplying the used-container crusher (not shown).

(28) FIG. 10 is a sectional front elevation view along the cut line X-X from FIG. 9. This figure shows in detail how the various components that make up the dripper -1- are assembled. In this figure, the dripper -1- is in the ejecting position.

(29) FIG. 11 shows that when the dripper -1- is in the holding position, the bottles -2- are held upside down by the support rods -11- such that any product residue that remains in the bottle -2- is drained out into the product-collecting funnel (not shown).

(30) Although the invention has been described and shown based on a representative example, it should be understood that said exemplary embodiment in no way limits the present invention, and as such any of the variations that are included directly or by way of equivalence in the contents of the accompanying claims should be considered to fall within the scope of the present invention.