Method for filling a medical packaging, filling device, and medical packaging formed as a pouch

Abstract

The invention relates to a method and to a device for filling a medical packaging formed as a pouch. Preferably, the packaging is filled with liquid via a port, wherein the port is aerated with a protective gas, such as nitrogen, for example, during filling According to the invention, prior to filling with liquid, the packaging is filled with an inert gas, such as nitrogen, for example, which then provides the headspace of the filled and closed pouch. This results in a particularly low oxygen content in the headspace of the pouch.

Claims

1. A method for filling a medical packaging, wherein the packaging is filled with a liquid via an entrance and the entrance, during the filling process, is provided in a protective atmosphere, wherein the packaging, prior to being filled with the liquid, is filled with an inert gas by means of a gas nozzle, wherein, for the provision of the protective atmosphere, at least one opening extends, at least in some sections, around the gas nozzle.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the packaging is filled with a volume of the inert gas which corresponds to at least the volume of a gas volume remaining after the filling of the packaging.

3. The method as claimed in claim 2, wherein the packaging is filled with a volume of the inert gas which corresponds to at least the volume of a gas volume remaining after the filling of the packaging with a volume of the inert gas of 15 to 30 ml.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the packaging, prior to being filled with the inert gas, is evacuated.

5. The method as claimed in claim 4, wherein the packaging, prior to being filled with the inert gas, is evacuated, by application of a pressure of below 100 mbar.

6. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the packaging is filled with the liquid using a filling head, wherein the filling head has a gas nozzle and a liquid nozzle, and the packaging, after having been filled with the inert gas, is transferred from the gas nozzle to the liquid nozzle.

7. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the entrance, upon transfer of the packaging from the gas to the liquid nozzle, is shut off and/or in that the packaging, after having been filled with the liquid, is moved to a sealing device, in which the entrance is sealed.

8. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the entrance is provided by a port, wherein the port is shut off by two opposing foil walls of the packaging being clamped shut around a welded region of the port.

9. The method as claimed claim 1, wherein the packaging, after having been filled with the liquid, is moved to a seal and is sealed by mounting of the seal onto the port, and/or in that the port and/or the seal, prior to and/or upon the mounting of the seal, is gassed with a protective gas.

10. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein, after the packaging has been filled with the liquid up to sealing of the entrance by mounting of the seal, the entrance of the packaging is shut off, and/or in that the entrance, at least from the filling of the packaging with the inert gas up to the filling with the liquid, is provided in the protective atmosphere.

11. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the packaging is filled in hanging suspension, and/or in that the packaging, prior to being filled, under the application of a vacuum is checked for leak-tightness.

12. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein after the filling of the packaging, liquid present at a liquid nozzle is withdrawn, and/or in that the liquid is withdrawn such that, after the withdrawal of the liquid, a rim of the liquid nozzle is still in contact with the liquid, and/or in that the liquid nozzle is blown against from below with a protective gas.

13. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the liquid is an oxygen-sensitive medical liquid to be administered intravenously, and/or in that the gas volume in the sealed packaging has an oxygen content of less than 1% by volume, and/or in that the packaging is enclosed and thermally sterilized with a secondary packaging comprising an oxygen barrier.

14. A device for a method for filling a medical packaging configured as a pouch, as claimed in claim 1, comprising a filling head having a gas nozzle for feeding an inert gas into the packaging and having a liquid nozzle for filling the packaging, wherein at least one opening for the provision of a protective atmosphere extends, at least in some sections, around the liquid nozzle and/or the gas nozzle.

15. The device as claimed in claim 14, wherein extending around the liquid nozzle and/or the gas nozzle are a plurality of openings for the provision of the protective atmosphere, wherein the openings extend in a circle around the gas nozzle and/or the liquid nozzle.

16. The device as claimed in claim 14, wherein the gas nozzle and/or the liquid nozzle is or are arranged in a depression, wherein the gas nozzle and/or the liquid nozzle has or have an opening distanced from a rim of the depression, and/or in that the liquid nozzle and/or the gas nozzle protrudes or protrude within the depression, wherein the opening is arranged around the protruding liquid nozzle and/or the protruding gas nozzle.

17. Use of a device as claimed in claim 14 for filling a medical packaging configured as a pouch.

18. A pharmaceutical product comprising a medical packaging configured as a pouch, producible or produced with a method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the medical packaging is filled with a liquid containing an active agent or with a liquid for parenteral feeding, and has a gas volume which has an oxygen content of less than 1% by volume.

19. The pharmaceutical product as claimed in claim 1, wherein the packaging is arranged in a secondary packaging comprising an oxygen barrier.

20. The pharmaceutical product as claimed in claim 19, wherein the oxygen barrier is a metal foil.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The subject of the invention shall be explained in greater detail below, with reference to an illustrative embodiment on the basis of the drawings FIG. 1 to FIG. 9.

(2) FIG. 1 is a schematic representation of a plant for filling a medical packaging configured as a pouch.

(3) FIG. 2 shows a medical packaging, configured as a pouch, which is inserted into a secondary packaging.

(4) FIG. 3 shows in a side view parts of the filling plant, wherein in this view the seal receptacle for mounting of the seal is represented.

(5) FIG. 4 is a further view of the filling device, wherein in this view the components arranged around the seal and the port are blanked out.

(6) FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the filling device, in which the squeezing pincer for sealing the port is represented.

(7) FIG. 5a and FIG. 5b are perspective detailed views of the filling device, in which the opposing jaws of the squeezing pincer are represented in the closed state with pouch (FIG. 5a) and in the open state without pouch (FIG. 5b).

(8) FIG. 6 is a detailed view of a port without mounted seal.

(9) FIG. 7 is a top view of the underside of the filling head, in which the liquid nozzle and the nitrogen nozzle are represented.

(10) FIG. 8 shows a sectional view of the filling head.

(11) FIG. 9 shows in a flow chart the method steps of an illustrative embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(12) FIG. 1 shows in a basic diagram the component parts of a device 1 for filling a medical packaging 20 configured as a pouch.

(13) The device 1 comprises a filling head 2, which in this illustrative embodiment is configured as a block and which comprises a gas nozzle 3 and a liquid nozzle 4. The gas nozzle 3 provides the inert gas for prefilling of the pouch. In the presently described illustrative embodiment, nitrogen is used as the inert gas. For this reason, the gas nozzle 3 is in short referred to in the following description as the nitrogen nozzle 3. The liquid nozzle 4 and the nitrogen nozzle 3 are arranged side by side and at a distance apart.

(14) In the presently described illustrative embodiment, the entrance 20 to the pouch is provided by the filler opening 51 of the port 22.

(15) The nitrogen nozzle 3 to which the medical packaging 20 is docked with a filler opening 51 of the port 22 serves both to fill with nitrogen the medical packaging 20 configured as a pouch and to evacuate the packaging 20.

(16) For the evacuation, the nitrogen nozzle 3 is connected to a vacuum line 17. Via the valve 19 and the valve 16 configured as a switching valve, a docked pouch 20 is evacuated. A filler opening 51 of the pouch 20 (see FIG. 6) is here docked sealingly to the nitrogen nozzle 3, for example pressed onto it. The nitrogen nozzle 3 can consist, for example, of an elastic material. Alternatively or additionally, the nitrogen nozzle 3 can comprise a seal.

(17) The vacuum used for the evacuation (prior to the filling) is hereinafter also referred to as a “deep vacuum”. This is a vacuum in which preferably a pressure of less than 100 mbar is applied at the filler opening 51.

(18) In the vacuum line 17 is found a container 18, which serves as a buffer volume. By the buffer volume, the fall in pressure which occurs at the nitrogen nozzle 3 upon opening of the valves 16 and 19 is reduced.

(19) In this illustrative embodiment, the nitrogen nozzle 3 is connected to a further vacuum line 12. Via the switching valve 16 and the valves 14 and 15, vacuum can also be applied at the nitrogen nozzle 3 via the vacuum line 12. In this illustrative embodiment is arranged in the vacuum line 12 a container 13, which is provided with a pressure sensor (not represented) which measures the pressure inside the container 13.

(20) Following docking of a pouch 20 to the nitrogen nozzle 3, in a first step the container 13 is evacuated via the valve 14, while the valve 15 is still closed. The valve 14 is next closed. After this, the valves 15 and 16 are opened. By contrast, the valve 19 is or remains closed. In the event of a leak, in the container 13 a rise in pressure greater than a predefined reference value shall be detected and the filling operation is not started. In this integrity test, the pressure does not need to be as low as in the evacuation of the pouch 20 before it is filled in a following step.

(21) If the pouch 20 has passed the leak test, the valve 15 is closed and the valve 19 opened. Via the vacuum line 17, a higher negative pressure then obtains at the nitrogen nozzle. The pouch 20 docked to the nitrogen nozzle 3 is now in the evacuated state.

(22) Next, the pouch 20 is filled with nitrogen as the inert gas. For this, at least the valve 16 is closed. A defined volume of nitrogen is passed via the nitrogen nozzle 3 into the pouch 20. To this end, the nitrogen nozzle 3 is connected to a supply line 8 for the inert gas, here nitrogen. In order to introduce a defined quantity of nitrogen, the supply line 8 leads via a container 10. In front of and behind the container 10 is respectively found a valve 11, 49 configured as a switching valve.

(23) For the introduction of a defined volume of nitrogen, the valve 49 is firstly opened, while the valve 11 is still closed. The container 10 is now filled with nitrogen, wherein the pressure arising in the container 10 corresponds to the pressure applied via the supply line 8.

(24) Next the valve 49 is closed and, after this, the valve 11 is opened. The nitrogen enclosed in the container 10 can now expand and, via the nozzle 3, nitrogen escapes into a docked pouch 20 until such time as a pressure equalization has taken place.

(25) By way of the volume of the container 10 and the pressure in the container 10, as well as the pressure in the supply line 8, the volume of nitrogen that flows into the pouch 20 is determined. In the container 10, a pressure of 0.5 bar to 4.0 bar for the nitrogen supply for the gassing is provided. The container 10 is here dimensioned such that and/or the pressure in the container 10 is chosen such that the nitrogen volume which flows into the pouch 20, inclusive of the volume of the port 22, corresponds to the desired remaining gas volume of the pouch 20 after this has been filled with liquid.

(26) Once the pouch 20 is filled with nitrogen, it is temporarily sealed and transferred to the liquid nozzle 4 and filled there with liquid. In the temporary sealing, the entrance 22 to the pouch 20, here the filler opening 51 of the port 22, is shut off, preferably clamped shut (see the following FIGS. 5 to 5b and 9).

(27) The liquid nozzle 4 is connected via the supply line 7 to a reservoir (not represented), via which a medical packaging 20 docked to the liquid nozzle 4 is filled with liquid. The medical packaging 20 is here docked with a filler opening 51 to the liquid nozzle 4. During the docking, a leak-tight connection exists between the liquid nozzle 4 and the filler opening 51. For this, the liquid nozzle 4 is applied by pressing sealingly to the filler opening. The liquid nozzle can have a seal or consist of a sealing elastic material.

(28) In order to control the filling operation, the filling device 1 comprises at least one valve 5, 6. In this illustrative embodiment, two valves 5, 6 configured as switching valves are arranged one behind the other. A valve 6 serves for fine dosing and is configured such that it can alter the volume in the inflow, whereby a small quantity of liquid can be withdrawn. As a result, after the medical packaging 20 has been undocked from the liquid nozzle 4, a droplet formation and dripping is prevented.

(29) After the filling, the pouch 20 is again temporarily sealed (see also FIGS. 5 to 5b and 9) and moved to a sealing device (not represented here), here in the form of a seal receptacle 29. The port 22 is sealed at the seal receptacle 29 with a seal 23 configured, in particular, as a cap.

(30) The filling and sealing operation is hence at an end and the pouch 20 can be ejected and transported onward. Further details relating to the method according to the invention are described in particular in FIG. 9.

(31) FIG. 2 shows a medical packaging 20 configured as a pouch 20. The pouch 20 consists of a welded-together foil, in particular a polyolefin foil. The pouch 20 comprises an inner volume 21, which is preferably between 50 and 1000 ml, particularly preferredly between 80 and 150 ml, in size.

(32) The pouch 20 comprises a hanger 25 and a port 22, which is welded in the transverse weld 54 and is sealed with a snapped-on seal 23, which in this embodiment has a break-off cap 24.

(33) The pouch 20 is inserted into a secondary pouch 48, which serves as a secondary packaging. The pouch in its secondary pouch is subsequently, preferably thermally, sterilized. The secondary pouch 48 can be torn open, for example, in order to remove the pouch 20. The secondary pouch 48 preferably consists of a foil having an oxygen barrier layer, in particular a metal foil. The secondary pouch 48 can possess a nitrogen-filled inner volume.

(34) Furthermore, the position 53 of the bearing surface of a jaw 32a, 32b of a squeezing pincer 32 is illustrated with a dashed line (cf. also FIGS. 5a and 5b).

(35) FIG. 3 shows in a side view parts of the device 1 for filling a pouch 20. In this view, the sealing device is represented in the form of the seal receptacle 29. In this illustrative embodiment, this can receive, by way of pneumatic suction, a seal 23, which is snapped onto the port 22 of a pouch 20.

(36) Represented is a nitrogen connection 26, for the gassing of the seal 23 with nitrogen, and a pneumatic connection 27, via which compressed air is provided to operate the moving parts of the device 1. Further connections, in particular the connection for supplying liquid for the filling of the pouch 20, cannot be seen in this view.

(37) The device comprises a movable support 28, in which is found a duct 30, via which the seal 23 and the port 22 of the pouch 20 are gassed with nitrogen.

(38) The duct 30 is directed obliquely upward, so that the exiting nitrogen flow purges with nitrogen the seal 23 held by the seal receptacle 29.

(39) The support 28 for the duct 30 can be moved upward in order to be able to get out of the way when a pouch 20 to be filled is supplied, in particular in order to be able to evade a support 44 holding the pouch 20 (see FIG. 4 and FIG. 5).

(40) Behind the seal receptacle 29 in the image plane is found a filling head 2 (not visible in this representation) for filling the pouch 20 with liquid and for filling it with nitrogen.

(41) FIG. 4 is a further view of the plant 1 for filling medical packagings 20 configured as pouches 20. In this view is represented the support 44, which serves as a gripping element for the pouch 20 and feeds this to the nitrogen nozzle 3, the liquid nozzle 4 and the seal receptacle 29.

(42) For this, the pouch 20 is grasped at the port 22 and moved from the support 44 to the nitrogen nozzle 3 and to the liquid nozzle 4, as well as to the seal receptacle 29. Via the duct 30, the seal 23 is gassed in the region of the filler opening 51 of the port 22.

(43) Further represented is a support 31, on which a law 32b of the squeezing pincer 32 is movably arranged (see FIG. 5, as well as FIGS. 5a and 5b).

(44) In this illustrative embodiment of the invention, the squeezing pincer 32 can be opened and closed via the support 31 in order to clamp shut the pouch 20 around the port 22. Otherwise, the support 31 is moved together with the support 44.

(45) FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the plant 1. Represented is, in particular, the support 44, via which the pouch 20 is gripped and moved.

(46) Furthermore, in this representation can be seen one half 32a of the squeezing pincer 32. The squeezing pincer 32 is configured such that the foil material of the pouch 20 can be compressed around the welded-in port 22, and hence the pouch 20 can be clamped shut. The pouch 20 is thus shut off, or temporarily sealed, by closing of the squeezing pincer 32 around the port 22. With the squeezing pincer 32, the pouch 20 is shut off or clamped shut when this, for the execution of the various method steps, is shifted during the filling process.

(47) As previously described, the support 28 for the duct 30 for gassing the seal 23 with nitrogen can be moved vertically in order to evade the support 44. By a lowering of the support 28, nitrogen can be blown into the seal 23 via the duct 30.

(48) FIG. 5a and FIG. 5b show perspective cutaway detailed views of the filling device 1, in which the region of the squeezing pincer 32 is represented.

(49) FIG. 5a shows how the closed squeezing pincer 32 clamps shut a pouch 20. The squeezing pincer 32 comprises the opposing jaws 32a and 32b. The jaw 32b is arranged on the support 44, with which the pouch 20 is grasped and moved. By the jaw 32a which is movable in relation to the jaw 32b, the squeezing pincer can be closed and the pouch 20 shut off, here clamped shut.

(50) FIG. 5b is a perspective cutaway view of the opened squeezing pincer 32 (without pouch 20). The jaw 32b comprises an upwardly open recess 52, in which, when the squeezing pincer is closed, is found a welded portion of a port 22, in particular a welding shuttle 34. The recess 52 is of substantially U-shaped configuration.

(51) The opposing jaw 32a is a type of open hollow body or case. The jaw 32a is formed by the base plate 32a-1, the two lateral side walls 32a-2 and 32a-3, and the lower side wall 32a-4 (the two side walls 32a-3 and 32a-4 are not visible in the shown perspective). Upward in the direction of the port 22 and laterally in the direction of the welding jaw 32b, the welding jaw 32a is of open design. The welding jaw 32a is of substantially U-shaped configuration. The U-shape or the U-shaped portion of the welding jaw 32a is formed by the side walls 32a-2, 32a-3, 32a-4 of the jaw 32a. The U-shaped portion formed by the jaw 32a, when the squeezing pincer is closed, comes to bear around the recess 52 of the opposing jaw 32b. In detail, the end faces of the side walls 32a-2, 32a-3, 32a-4 of the jaw 32a come to bear around the recess 52 of the opposing jaw 32b.

(52) The foils of the pouch 20 are in this way compressed around the welded region of the port 22, so that the pouch 20 is clamped shut and no fluid can escape or enter.

(53) The position 53 of the bearing surface of the law 32a on the pouch is represented in FIG. 2. The end faces of the side walls 32a-2, 32a-3, 32a-4 of the jaw 32a come to bear at the position 53. The bearing surface 53 is also of U-shaped configuration, wherein the base is arranged beneath the welding shuttle 34 of the port 22. The side members of the bearing surface 53 extend laterally along the welding shuttle 34 and reach at least up to the height of a transverse weld 54 of the pouch 20. In this way, the pouch 22 can be clamped shut with the squeezing pincer 32 around the welded portion of the port 22.

(54) Due to the U-shaped design of the squeezing pincer 32, the port 22 itself is not clamped shut, however, since the welded region of the port 22, when the squeezing pincer is closed, is found in part in the recess 52 and in part between the side members of the U-shaped portion of the jaw 32a.

(55) FIG. 6 is a detailed view of the port 22 in one possible embodiment. The port 22 comprises a tapered welding shuttle 34, which serves as a welded portion, and a filler opening 51, beneath which is found a collar 33. The seal 23 can be snapped onto the collar 33.

(56) The pouch 20 is filled with liquid via the filler opening 51. Once the seal is fitted, the filler opening 51 serves at the same time for the formation of a port 22 provided with a septum.

(57) The filler opening 51 of the port 22 can be docked sealingly both to the nitrogen nozzle 3 and to the liquid nozzle 4.

(58) FIG. 7 and FIG. 8 show different views of the filling head 2. In the installed state, the filling head 2 is seated behind the seal receptacle 29 represented in FIG. 3. The filling head 2 comprises a connecting piece for fastening to the plant 1.

(59) The filling head 2 further comprises a product connection and a gas connection.

(60) Via the product connection, which is connected to the liquid nozzle 4, liquid is supplied for the filling of the pouch 20.

(61) Via the gas connection, which is connected to the nitrogen nozzle 3, the pouch 20 can both be evacuated and filled with nitrogen.

(62) In this embodiment of the invention, the valve 6 designed as a switching valve is integrated into the filling head 2. Via the switching valve 6, a fine dosing can be conducted. At the same time, via the valve 6, a volume change can be produced in the liquid inflow, whereby a liquid droplet can be withdrawn.

(63) FIG. 7 is a top view of the underside of the filling head 2. The filling head 2 comprises a nitrogen nozzle 3 and a liquid nozzle 4. The liquid nozzle 4 has a greater diameter than the nitrogen nozzle 3. Preferably, the diameter of the liquid nozzle 4 lies between 4.5 and 6.5 mm. The diameter of the nitrogen nozzle 3 is preferably between 2.5 and 3.5 mm.

(64) In the installed state, the nitrogen nozzle 3 is seated behind the seal receptacle 29 represented in FIG. 3. There then follows the liquid nozzle 4. The nitrogen nozzle 3 is arranged between the liquid nozzle 4 and the seal receptacle 29.

(65) Extending annularly around the nitrogen nozzle 3 and the liquid nozzle 4 are openings 38, from which nitrogen exits and with which a laminar flow is generated in the direction of the flow direction of the product, thus of the liquid stream, during the filling process. The openings 38 are located in a depression 39, the rim 40 of which extends along the underside of the filling head 2.

(66) Laterally adjacent to the nitrogen nozzle 3, the depression 39 is open toward the side and, in the fitted state, directly adjoins the seal receptacle 29. There is thus formed bv the depression 39 a duct 42, which reaches as far as the seal receptacle 29 and which, during the operation of the filling device 1, is continuously purged with nitrogen in order to provide a protective atmosphere.

(67) FIG. 8 is a sectional view along the sectional line marked in FIG. 7. The lower end of the filling head 2 is configured as an insert 41 made of high-quality steel, which insert is connected, in particular bonded and/or bolted, to the rest of the filling head 2, and, where appropriate, sealed off with sealing rings. This insert 41 comprises the liquid nozzle 4 and the nitrogen nozzle 3, to which the filler opening 51 of the port 22 can be docked.

(68) The rim 45 of the liquid nozzle 4, and also the rim 47 of the nitrogen nozzle 3, are distanced from the rim 40 of the depression 39. Hence the discharge openings of liquid nozzle 4 and nitrogen nozzle 3 are located within a duct 42 which is open at the bottom and which, in the operating state, is purged with nitrogen by a preferably laminar nitrogen flow.

(69) In addition, in this detailed representation is indicated a meniscus 50, which the liquid forms when the pouch 20 is undocked from the liquid nozzle 4.

(70) As the pouch 20 is undocked, liquid is withdrawn to the inflow duct by way of a volume enlargement of the valve 6, so that the liquid forms a concave meniscus 50. The liquid here reaches up to the rim 45 of the liquid nozzle 4.

(71) Via the duct 46, the liquid and the filler opening of the liquid nozzle 4 are blown against obliquely from below, in particular at an angle of 10-60° to the horizontal plane. This inhibits the formation of droplets and promotes the formation of the concave meniscus 50. At the same time, the liquid is not withdrawn in such a way that gas is sucked in and hence, because of flow, oxygen might also be drawn into the region of the liquid nozzle 4.

(72) FIG. 9 shows in a flow chart the method steps according to an illustrative embodiment of the invention.

(73) Firstly, the pouch 20 is received bv means of the support 44 of the filling device 1 and docked to the nitrogen nozzle 3 with the filler opening 51 of the port 22.

(74) Next, via the line 12, vacuum is applied in the container 13. Then the valve 14 is closed. By opening of the valves 15 and 16, the vacuum is also applied in the pouch 20. Via a pressure sensor in the container 13, it is checked whether the pouch 20 is leak-tight by comparing the resulting pressure drop with a predefined reference range.

(75) If the pouch 20 is leak-tight, a deep vacuum is next applied via the vacuum line 17 and through opening of the valve 19.

(76) Following the application of the deep vacuum, the valve 19 is closed.

(77) In the next step, the pouch 20 is filled with the inert gas, here nitrogen, in that, by actuation of the valves 11 and 49, a defined volume of nitrogen is fed into the pouch 20 via the container 10. The fed-in volume substantially corresponds to the desired gas volume of the pouch 20.

(78) Subsequent to the filling, the pouch 20 is shut off, here clamped shut, by closing of the squeezing pincer 32.

(79) The pouch 20, now filled with inert gas, is next transferred from the nitrogen nozzle 3 to the filling nozzle, thus to the liquid nozzle 4. As a result of the sealing with the squeezing pincer 32, as is prevented during the transfer from entering or exiting the pouch 20.

(80) Next, the squeezing pincer 32 is opened and the pouch 20 is filled via the liquid nozzle 4.

(81) At the end of the filling operation, the liquid in the liquid nozzle 4 is reset via the valve 6, so that, from the liquid nozzle 4, nothing drips when the pouch 20 is subsequently moved to the seal 23, where the port 22 is sealed with the seal 23.

(82) When moved from the liquid nozzle 4 to the seal receptacle 29, the pouch 20, now filled with liquid and inert gas, is likewise shut off, here with the squeezing pincer 32.

(83) Once the pouch 20 is sealed with the seal 23, the squeezing pincer 32 is opened and the pouch 20, now ready filled and sealed by the seal 23, can be elected and transported away.

(84) Throughout the filling operation, the head volume, thus the region comprising the liquid nozzle 4, the nitrogen nozzle 3 and the filler opening 51 of the port 22, is continuously purged with nitrogen. The components are constantly in a protective atmosphere.

(85) The seal 23 too is purged with nitrogen, wherein a support 28, which comprises the duct 30 provided for this purpose, is moved upward as the pouch 20 is supplied, in order to be able to get out of the way.

(86) The invention has succeeded in reducing the residual oxygen content in the remaining gas volume of a pouch 20 to below 1% by volume.

REFERENCE SYMBOL LIST

(87) 1 device for filling a pouch 2 filling head 3 gas nozzle or nitrogen nozzle 4 liquid nozzle 5 valve 6 valve 7 supply line 8 supply line 9 valve 10 container 11 valve 12 vacuum line 13 container 14 valve 15 valve 16 valve 17 vacuum line 18 container 19 valve 20 medical packaging/pouch 21 inner volume 22 entrance or port 23 seal 24 break-off cap 25 hanger 26 nitrogen connection 27 pneumatic connection 28 support 29 sealing device or seal receptacle 30 duct 31 support 32 squeezing pincer 32a, 32b jaws of the squeezing pincer 32a-1 base plate or base surface of the jaw 32a 32a-2 lateral side wall of the jaw 32a 32a-3 lateral side wall of the jaw 32a 32a-4 lower side wall of the jaw 32a 33 collar 34 welding shuttle 38 opening 39 depression 40 rim 41 insert 42 duct 43 duct 44 support 45 rim 46 duct 47 rim 48 secondary packaging/secondary pouch 49 valve 50 meniscus 51 filler opening 52 recess 53 position of the bearing surface of a jaw of the squeezing pincer 54 transverse weld