System for the production of a medical product, as well as method for operation of such a system

Abstract

A system for the production of a medical product, above all in the form of an ostomy bag, as well as a method for operation of such a system, uses a highly flexible modular system concept, in which individual feed lines for semi-finished products are provided. The feed lines can transfer semi-finished products to a main line in pre-assembled manner. In the main line, ultimate processing of the semi-finished products to produce the finished product or a further semi-finished product takes place, with the greatest possible work precision, in contrast to conventional systems that guide different film systems in different planes at a distance from one another, to allow pre-processing steps, before bringing the films together in one plane and welded to one another.

Claims

1. A system for production of an ostomy bag composed of a plurality of plies of at least one of a film and a nonwoven, the system comprising: (a) a semi-finished product transport system having a main line and a plurality of lateral feed lines directly feeding the main line each with the help of a respective transfer device, wherein the plurality of the feed lines are different from each other by different feed line tools on the feed lines, and wherein some of the plurality of different lateral feed lines are placed between a first of the plurality of feed lines and a finish part transfer unit directly feeding from the main line; (b) a plurality of semi-finished product feed lines for feeding pre-worked semi-finished products from the feed lines to the main line in an automated manner, wherein each of the feed lines has its own semi-finished product feed lines; and (c) a main line tool on the main line; wherein the number of the transfer devices is identical to the number of lateral feed lines.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the ostomy bag is a colostomy bag and the semi-finished product transport system is a tray transport system.

3. A system for production of a medical product composed of a plurality of plies of planar sections, the system comprising: (a) a semi-finished transport system having a main line and a plurality of lateral feed lines directly feeding the main line with the help of a transfer device; (b) a plurality of semi-finished product feed units for automatically feeding pre-worked semi-finished products from the feed lines to the main line; (c) a plurality to feed line tools on the feed lines; and (d) a main line tool on the main line; wherein the feed lines and the main line have an identical working height so as to set the individual feed lines onto the main line in modular manner and so as to make the individual feed lines interchangeable with one another or so as to replace with other feed lines in order to perform a product change; and wherein the number of the transfer devices is identical to the number of lateral feed lines.

4. The system according to claim 3, wherein the medical product is a bag, the plurality of plies of planar sections comprise at least one of a film and a nonwoven and the semi-finished product transport system is a tray transport system.

5. A system for production of a medical product composed of a plurality of plies of planar sections, the system comprising: (a) a semi-finished product transport system having a main line and a plurality of lateral feed lines directly feeding the main line with the help of a transfer device; (b) a plurality of semi-finished product feed units for automatically feeding pre-worked semi-finished products from the feed lines to the main line, each semi-finished product feed unit having a spreading device configured to elastically or plastically stretch the semi-finished product in at least one dimension and configured to feed in the semi-finished product; (c) a plurality of feed line tools on the feed lines; and (d) a main tool on the main line; wherein the number of the transfer devices is identical to the number of lateral feed lines.

6. The system according to claim 5, wherein the medical product is a bag, the plurality of plies of planar sections have at least one of a film and a non-woven, and the semi-finished product transport system is a tray transport system.

7. The system according to claim 1, wherein the main line has a main welding tool.

8. The system according to claim 1, wherein one of the feed lines has a pre-welding tool.

9. The system according to claim 1, wherein one of the feed lines has a pre-punching tool.

10. The system according to claim 3, wherein each semi-finished product feed unit has grippers movable apart from one another by a motor.

11. The system according to claim 3, wherein one of the semi-finished product feed units has four grippers.

12. The system according to claim 3, wherein each semi-finished product feed unit has grippers provided to grip at corners of the semi-finished product.

13. The system according to claim 3, wherein each semi-finished product feed unit has grippers formed as needles.

14. The system according to claim 3, wherein each semi-finished product feed unit has a deposit device for the semi-finished product in a tensed state in order to place the semi-finished product on tension holders of the main line on the semi-finished product transport system.

15. The system according to claim 3, wherein all the semi-finished product feed units are set up for at least one of gripping and depositing at an identical height.

16. The system according to claim 1, wherein the system is set up for guiding trays in a machine direction on precisely one plane.

17. The system according to claim 3, wherein a waiting position is provided between two of the plurality of semi-finished product feed units.

18. The system according to claim 4, wherein the semi-finished product feed unit is disposed on the tray transport system in a modular manner.

19. The system according to claim 3, wherein the semi-finished product feed unit has a defective part removal branch.

20. The system according to claim 1, wherein the main line has a linear transport direction.

21. The system according to claim 3, wherein four plies are connected with one another to produce the medical product.

22. The system according to claim 3, wherein the semi-finished product transport system is synchronized with each semi-finished product feed unit.

23. A method for operation of the system of claim 1, claim 3, or claim 5 for production of a medical product, the method comprising: (a) providing the system comprising a semi-finished transport system having a main line and a plurality of lateral feed lines directly feeding the main line with the help of a transfer device, a plurality of semi-finished product feed units for automatically feeding pre-worked semi-finished products from the feed lines to the main line, a plurality of feed line tools on the feed lines, and a main line tool on the main line, wherein the feed lines and the main line have an identical working height; and (b) interchanging at least one feed line to undertake a change in product; wherein the number of the transfer devices is identical to the number of lateral feed lines.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) Other objects and features of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description considered in connection with the accompanying drawings. It is to be understood, however, that the drawings are designed as an illustration only and not as a definition of the limits of the invention.

(2) In the drawings:

(3) FIG. 1 shows schematically, in a perspective view, a system for the production of colostomy bags, having a main line, having three feed lines, and having a finished product line;

(4) FIG. 2 shows schematically, in a detail view from FIG. 1, a possible first feed line;

(5) FIG. 3 shows schematically, in a detail view from FIG. 1, a possible second feed line;

(6) FIG. 4 shows schematically, in a detail view from FIG. 1, a possible third feed line;

(7) FIG. 5 shows schematically, in a detail view, the main line;

(8) FIG. 6 shows schematically, in a detail from FIG. 1, an end of the main line, having a good part extraction unit and a good part table;

(9) FIG. 7 shows in a perspective view, a transfer device from a feed line to the main line, with a grasped semi-finished product composed of film;

(10) FIG. 8 shows the transfer device from FIG. 7 from a changed perspective; and

(11) FIG. 9 shows the transfer device from FIGS. 7 and 8.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

(12) The system 1 in FIG. 1 is a system for the production of colostomy bags, set up in modular manner. It should be explicitly pointed out that the most varied different kinds of other multi-ply products can advantageously be produced in such a system, as well.

(13) The system 1 consists essentially of a main line 2 having a tray transport system 3 as well as having a first feed line 4, a second feed line 5, and a third feed line 6, as well as having a finished part transfer unit 7 also configured as a lateral line.

(14) The tray transport system 3 in the main line 2 consists of a linear guide 8, in which a plurality of trays 9 (numbered as examples) are guided so as to be driven in longitudinally displaceable manner and preferably individually.

(15) Each tray 9 has a rectangular contact or supporting surface 10 for accommodating semi-finished products or finished products.

(16) The trays 9 are set up for being transported in a machine direction 11.

(17) In the concrete exemplary embodiment presented here, a plane that lies underneath guides the trays back again, counter to the machine direction 11, in an endless circuit in the main line 2.

(18) To the side of the main line 2, the three feed lines 4, 5, 6 are standing at an orthogonal angle here, so that the main line 2 transports through the system 1 in the main machine direction 11, while the feed lines 4, 5, 6 feed semi-finished products to the main line in the feed machine directions 12 (shown as an example).

(19) The feed lines 4, 5, 6 have tools for different pre-working processes.

(20) The feed lines 4, 5, 6 and the main line 2 furthermore each have a working height, wherein the working heights are identical not only in the feed lines 4, 5, 6 but also in the main line.

(21) From every feed line 4, 5, 6, there is a transfer device (not shown), which is set up for taking over semi-finished products being transported in a feed machine direction from the feed lines 4, 5, 6, and placing the trays 9 into the main line 2.

(22) The tools are not shown here.

(23) In a standard case, the main line 2 will have a main welding tool (also not shown), in any case.

(24) The first feed line 4, or also every other feed line, can be structured as follows, for example (see FIG. 2):

(25) First, unwinding of a film from a roll takes place at a first position 13.

(26) In a subsequent position 14, pre-welding takes place.

(27) In a further subsequent position 15, punching or cutting takes place.

(28) A severing cut 16 can also take place at a station, combined or separately. The severing cut 16 separates a film section 17 from the incoming endless film band or strip 18.

(29) Here, the film section 17 is left rectangular. The shape of the film section 17 fundamentally corresponds, in this regard, with that of the tray 9.

(30) Four small holes 19 (numbered as an example) are punched into the film section 17, also already in the feed line 4, specifically precisely in the corners of the rectangular film section 17.

(31) A semi-finished product feed unit (not shown) performs a transfer of the semi-finished products in the form of the now separated film sections 17 from the feed line 4 to the main line 2, in concrete terms by gripping the film section 17, raising the film section 17, moving the film section 17 forward, while rotating it by 90, and placing the film section 17 down onto the tray 9. In an individual case, whether or not a film section 17 or another semi-finished product is rotated during the transfer will always depend on the shape of the incoming semi-finished products and the shape of the transport means.

(32) Subsequently, the tray 9 can be transported further along the main line 2 in the machine direction 11.

(33) At the same time, further semi-finished products can be pre-produced along the feed line 4 and transferred to further trays in the main line 2.

(34) Because distances 20 are left between the individual trays 9 in the main line 2, the production cycle of the feed line 4 does not have to coincide with the advancing cycle in the main line 2.

(35) Instead, it is also possible to provide for good part recognition or defective part removal before or during transfer from the feed line 4 to the main line 2.

(36) The trays 9 can be used over their full area or over a partial area.

(37) It should furthermore be explicitly pointed out that the exemplary embodiment shown here is a tray system. Other system geometries or types of transport, however, can also be provided; for example, the system can be structured as a turntable system or as an oval transport system.

(38) Because only a single film plane exists, in other words the working heights of the incoming film web in the feed line, of the film sections, and of the trays are identical, the individual feed lines 4, 5, 6 can be set onto the main line 2 in modular manner, and therefore can also be interchanged with one another or replaced with other feed lines, not shown, for example in order to perform a product change.

(39) The production accuracy is dramatically increased by these measures.

(40) Furthermore, no tensile stresses of any kind on the film, which could come from a long film strip, are present in the main line 2, in other words in the line of the final processing steps such as, for example, the main welding process, because separation of the endless film strip 18 into film sections 17 already takes place earlier, namely in the feed lines 4, 5, 6.

(41) Even in the case of a desired conversion of the system 1 for the production of a new product, this conversion is possible more easily than known in the state of the art: Conversion is easier because further modules serving as feed lines can be separately pre-assembled and then transported to the bag manufacturer by the machine manufacturer. Because of the uniform transfer interface from the feed lines 4, 5, 6 to the main line 2, such subsequently designed, modular feed lines can be retrofitted at any time.

(42) In order to be able to refit the system 1 quickly, using existing modules, the modules can be moved in interstices 21, 22, for example, thereby parallel to the main line 2 and at a right angle to the feed machine direction 12.

(43) Thus, for example, a linear mounting for the feed lines 4, 5, 6 on the main line 2 can be provided, in order to clearly fix the modular feed lines 4, 5, 6 in place at their distance from the main line 2.

(44) At the end 23 of the main line 2, an extraction apparatus (not shown) for the finished products, here ostomy bags 24 (numbered as an example) is provided. The extraction device can preferably distinguish between good parts and defective parts and pass the defective parts to scrap, while the good parts of the ostomy bags 24 are laid down onto the finished part take-over unit 7 and can be transported further from there.

(45) The second feed line 5 can particularly be configured in such a manner (see FIG. 3) that film unwinding at film unwinding unit 25 also takes place, at first, whereupon a filter is punched out and pre-welding is performed (position or station 26). Subsequently, a flap can be affixed (station 27). Finally, holes can be made in the corner region again, and a severing cut from the endless strip to an individual panel can take place (station 28). Subsequently, the transfer to a tray 29 standing ready can take place, wherein the tray 29 standing ready already carries a semi-finished product 30 from a previous feed line, here the first feed line 4.

(46) By means of the holes in the corner region, which have already been introduced in the feed line, the different semi-finished products 30 being transferred from the feed lines 4, 5, 6 can be placed so that they are perfectly aligned, one on top of the other.

(47) In the meantime, trays 31 situated in waiting position can stand still or perform individual movements, without slowing down the transfer at the second feed line 5 or the first feed line 4.

(48) A further feed line, here, for example, the third feed line 6, can be structured as follows (see FIG. 4):

(49) Unwinding of a film strip (station 32) takes place first, once again. Subsequently, an inlet and/or outlet hole can be punched or taken out in some other manner (station 33). A flange can be fed in and welded on (station 34). Finally, a severing cut is preferably performed, once again, and centering and tensioning holes are introduced at the corners (station 35). The subsequent transfer once again positions the freshly supplied semi-finished product onto the semi-finished product that has already been transported to this location on the tray.

(50) In the main line 2, further stations with processing tools can be provided ahead of the first feed line 4, after the last, here third feed line 6, as well as between the feed lines 4, 5, 6, for example a station 36 having a circumferential welding tool for the bag, a station 37 for affixing an identification label or for imprinting, as well as, for example, a further station 38 for quality control, for example by means of an optical inspection device (see FIG. 5).

(51) At the end 23 of the main line, punching out then preferably takes place at a station 39, as does tearing out or other removal at a station 40, as well as finally, at an extraction unit 41 extraction of good parts as well as removal of defective parts.

(52) An elevator 42 serves for lowering the trays 9 from the working height of the main line 2 to a return transport height (see FIG. 6).

(53) The semi-finished product feed unit (see FIGS. 7 to 9) has a complex gripper 43).

(54) The gripper device 43 is mounted to float on the semi-finished product feed unit; it is centered by way of a sensor, wherein the sensor can be optical, for example, but can also be mechanical.

(55) Alternatively, it is easy to imagine that the trays are mounted in floating manner.

(56) It can also be imagined that the tray for laying the semi-finished product onto the tray is raised from its transport plane and centered.

(57) The gripper device 43 has multiple grippers 44, 45 (numbered as an example), particularly precisely four grippers 44, 45.

(58) The grippers 44, 45 are preferably adjusted on the gripper device 43 or moved forward in such a manner that they can grip the corners of the semi-finished product 30 to be gripped, particularly into the holes 19 provided there, or can align themselves relative to the holes 19, once again mechanically and/or optically, for example.

(59) The grippers 44, 45 can preferably be adjusted electronically relative to one another, so that a tensile stress can be applied to the semi-finished product 30. This stress prevents semi-finished product 30 from sagging, wherein even already existing wrinkles can be smoothed out, so that the semi-finished product 30 can be laid onto centering pins 46 (numbered as an example) on the tray 29 that is standing ready, in the smoothest possible state.

(60) Alternatively or cumulatively, it can be imagined that needle grippers are provided, which hold the cutouts in the main line 2.

(61) It should be explicitly pointed out that the machine concept for the production of a multi-ply medical product already represents an invention, not necessarily restricted only to a production system for ostomy bags.

(62) The production of ostomy bags is an advantageous embodiment of the invention.

(63) A person skilled in the art will select all the other tools on the feed lines and the main line within the scope of designing a system for the production of a specific medical product, in a manner that appears suitable to him or her, for example with separate tools at separate stations, or with combined tools at combined stations, so that a combined welding/cutting tool can also be provided, for example, in place of individual stations for pre-welding or main welding and a station separate from them for cutting out or other separation.

(64) In general, the invention presented here can be most advantageously used for medical products having multiple film plies and a main welding process as well as operations that precede a main welding process, wherein objects can also be affixed to the film, for example a flange or a flap.

(65) In conventional systems, four film systems are generally guided in four planes, at a distance from one another, in order to allow tasks such as punching, filter pre-welding, etc. Only then are the films brought together in one plane and welded to one another.

(66) In the case of product changes, however, the product switch is restricted with this concept, and every subsequent step is dependent on the preceding step.

(67) In the new concept, the processing steps are divided up among the supplying modules, and finished pre-worked (for example pre-punched or pre-welded cutouts) are collected on the tray and only then finally welded.

(68) A further special feature is the spreading possibility of the needle grippers, for example four grippers mounted in the corners. As a result, sagging is prevented, and possible wrinkles are smoothed out.

(69) What is achieved is the production of a product composed of multiple plies of film and/or nonwoven and additional components.

(70) Although only a few embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, it is to be understood that many changes and modifications may be made thereunto without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.