Filling Assembly

Abstract

There is described a pharmaceutical container filler assembly for filling said container with a pharmaceutical powder material, which assembly comprises: means for supporting a pharmaceutical container; a reservoir suitable for holding a bulk pharmaceutical powder, wherein the powder reservoir is connected to a filler nozzle; said filler nozzle being adapted to be located in or adjacent to the pharmaceutical container such that the pharmaceutical container can be filled with the pharmaceutical powder; characterised in that the assembly is provided with means for vibrating, such that at least a portion of the assembly can be vibrated.

Claims

1. A pharmaceutical container filler assembly for filling said container with a pharmaceutical powder material, which assembly comprises: means for supporting a pharmaceutical container; a reservoir suitable for holding a bulk pharmaceutical powder, wherein the powder reservoir is connected to a filler nozzle; said filler nozzle being adapted to be located in or adjacent to the pharmaceutical container such that the pharmaceutical container can be filled with the pharmaceutical powder; characterised in that the assembly is provided with means for vibrating, such that at least a portion of the assembly can be vibrated.

2. A pharmaceutical container filler assembly according to claim 1 wherein the filler nozzle comprises a small diameter tube or a tube with a small diameter neck.

3. A pharmaceutical container filler assembly according to claim 1 wherein the filling portion of the assembly, i.e. the reservoir and/or the filler nozzle, is vibrated.

4. A pharmaceutical container filler assembly according to claim 3 or wherein the filler nozzle is vibrated.

5. A pharmaceutical container filler assembly according to claim 1 wherein the frequency of the vibration is from about 25 to about 2000 Hertz.

6. (canceled)

7. A pharmaceutical container filler assembly according to claim 1 wherein the amplitude of the vibration is from about 0.05 to about 1 mm.

8. (canceled)

9. A pharmaceutical container filler assembly according to claim 1 wherein the means for vibrating comprises an electrical vibration mechanism.

10. (canceled)

11. A pharmaceutical container filler assembly according to claim 1 wherein the means for vibrating is operably linked to the filler nozzle.

12. (canceled)

13. A pharmaceutical container filler assembly according to claim 1 wherein the filler assembly is provided with means for delivering and/or measuring a precise predetermined amount of the pharmaceutical powder to the pharmaceutical container.

14. A pharmaceutical container filler assembly according to claim 13 wherein the means for measuring a precise predetermined amount of the powdered pharmaceutical comprises the use of weight control and verification.

15. A pharmaceutical container filler assembly according to claim 1 wherein the means for supporting the pharmaceutical container includes a damper.

16.-17. (canceled)

18. A pharmaceutical container filler assembly according to claim 1 wherein the turbulence damper comprises a turbulence reducing sleeve adapted to encase the pharmaceutical container during the filling process.

19. A pharmaceutical container filler assembly according to claim 18 wherein the turbulence reducing sleeve is provided with an internal mount upon which the pharmaceutical container can rest during the filling procedure.

20. A pharmaceutical container filler assembly according to claim 19 wherein the internal mount is adapted to locate the pharmaceutical container precisely enabling the filling tube/nozzle to be inserted without contact with the sides of the container neck.

21.-22. (canceled)

23. A pharmaceutical container filler assembly for filling said container with a pharmaceutical powder material, which assembly comprises: means for supporting a pharmaceutical container; a reservoir suitable for holding a bulk pharmaceutical powder, wherein the powder reservoir is connected to a filler nozzle; said filler nozzle being adapted to be located in or adjacent to the pharmaceutical container such that the pharmaceutical container can be filled with the pharmaceutical powder; characterised in that the means for supporting a pharmaceutical container comprises a turbulence damper.

24.-29. (canceled)

30. A method of filling a pharmaceutical container with a pharmaceutical powder material, said method comprising the steps of: providing a filler assembly comprising means for supporting a pharmaceutical container; a reservoir suitable for holding a bulk pharmaceutical powder, wherein the powder reservoir is connected to a filler nozzle; said filler nozzle being adapted to be located in or adjacent to the pharmaceutical container such that the pharmaceutical container can be filled with the pharmaceutical powder; placing a pharmaceutical container in means for supporting a pharmaceutical container; and vibrating at least a portion of the filler assembly.

31. A method according to claim 30 or wherein the filler nozzle is vibrated.

32. A method of filling a pharmaceutical container with a pharmaceutical powder material, said method comprising the steps of: providing a filler assembly comprising means for supporting a pharmaceutical container; a reservoir suitable for holding a bulk pharmaceutical powder, wherein the powder reservoir is connected to a filler nozzle; said filler nozzle being adapted to be located in or adjacent to the pharmaceutical container such that the pharmaceutical container can be filled with the pharmaceutical powder; placing a pharmaceutical container in means for supporting a pharmaceutical container; and wherein the means for supporting a pharmaceutical container comprises a turbulence damper.

33. A method according to claim 32 or wherein the filler nozzle is vibrated.

34. A pharmaceutical container filled with a pharmaceutical powder material using an assembly according to claim 1.

35. (canceled)

36. A pharmaceutical container filled with a pharmaceutical powder material using a method according to claim 30.

37.-40. (canceled)

Description

[0052] The invention will now be illustrated by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying figures in which:

[0053] FIG. 1 is a side view of a filler assembly of the present invention, including a turbulence damper; and

[0054] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a filler assembly of the present invention, including a turbulence damper and a piezoelectric actuator.

[0055] Referring to FIG. 1 a pharmaceutical container filler assembly (1) comprises a powder reservoir (2) provided with a filler nozzle (not shown). The filler nozzle protrudes into a pharmaceutical container (not shown) which is located on a container support comprising a turbulence damper (11) located onto a sleeve base (13).

[0056] Referring to FIG. 2 a pharmaceutical container filler assembly (1) comprises a powder reservoir (2) provided with a filler nozzle (3). The filler nozzle (3) is linked to or abuts one end (4) of a vibration arm (5). The other end (6) of the vibration arm (5) is operably linked to a piezoelectric vibrator (7).

[0057] The filler nozzle (3) protrudes into a pharmaceutical container (8). The pharmaceutical container (8) is located on a container support (9) which comprises a mount (10) (puck) and a turbulence damper (11). The turbulence damper (11) in the form of a turbulence reducing sleeve substantially surrounds the pharmaceutical container (8). The mount (10) is itself located on a weigh cell (12). The turbulence damper or turbulence reducing sleeve (11) is located onto a sleeve base (13) which centralises the turbulence reducing sleeve (11) and allows the internal mount (puck) to lifted clear for weighing purposes.

[0058] In use the pharmaceutical powder is dispensed from the powder reservoir (2) through the filler nozzle (3) into the pharmaceutical container (8), e.g. syringe or cartridge. The piezoelectric vibrator (7) is actuated and vibration is transferred from the vibrator (7) to the filler nozzle (3) via the vibration arm (5). A predetermined amount of pharmaceutical powder is filled into the pharmaceutical container (8), which is measured using the weigh cell (12) in a proprietary Fill2Weight process.