DE20309925U1 - Injection moulding teats, comprises using a housing containing an injection moulding machine, a transport unit, and a packing machine - Google Patents

Abstract

An arrangement for injection moulding and packing teats, comprises a housing (5) in which clean conditions can be achieved, an injection moulding machine (1) in the housing, a transport unit in the housing, and a packing machine (4). The injection moulding machine is a multi-component machine and is located on rails (6). The machine can be transported using a robot. The packing machine is a blister machine, and is supplied with a film material.

Description

j~~| A U C-> &Ggr;\ Patent Attorneys and Lawyers

GRAALFS WEHNERT DÖRING SIEMONS SCHILDBERG

patent and legal counsel, PO Box 1131 53, 20431 Hamburg

MAPA GmbH

Rubber and Plastics Works Attorney File: K-46605-22

HAMBURG

EDO GRAALFS, DIPL.-ING.

NORBERT SIEMONS, DR.-ING.

PETER SCHILDBERG, DR., DIPL.-PHYS.

DIRK PAHL, LAWYER NEUER WALL 41, 203S4 HAMBURG PO Box 1131 53, 2&Ogr;431 Hamburg Telephone (040)36 67 55, Fax (040)36 4039 E-mail: hamburgi8hauck-patent.de

MUNICH

WERNER WEHNERT, DIPL.-ING MOZARTSTRASSE 23, 8&Ogr;336 MUNICH Telephone (089)53 92 36, Fax (&Ogr;89) 53 12 39 E-MAIL: MUNICH@HAUCK-PATENT.DE

DUSSELDORF

WOLFGANG DÖRING, DR.-ING. MÖRIKESTRASSE 18, 40474 DÜSSELDORF TELEPHONE (0211)45 07 85, FAX (0211)454 32 E-MAIL: DU ESSELDOR F@H AUCK-PATENT. DE

HANS HAUCK, DIPL.-ING. (-1998) HERMANN NEGENDANK, DR.-ING. (-1973)

Delivery address: Hamburg 07 July 2003

Device for producing suction cups
The invention relates to a device for producing suction cups.

Teats are used as drinking teats to feed babies and as pacifiers to calm them. This application refers to both versions. Teats for use in maternity clinics and children's wards in hospitals must be provided in a sterile state. Sterilizing such teats in hospitals, e.g. with hydrogen or gamma radiation, is complex.

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German Patent /ijtjorneys, ^urJjp^an pJkTEjjT JiTT'o'iSNEYE'tuiiOPEAN.TRAeE Mark and Design Attorneys
Authorized representatives for patent applications and trademarks for the domestic market www.hauck-patent.de

Based on this, the object of the invention is to provide a device which facilitates the provision of suction devices for clinical use.

The object is achieved by a device having the features of claim 1. Advantageous embodiments of the device are specified in the subclaims.

The device according to the invention enables the implementation of processes for producing suction cups in which suction cups are injection-molded under clean room conditions and packaged in a sterile manner.

Because the teats according to the invention, which can be drinking teats or pacifiers, are injection-molded under clean room conditions and packaged in a sterile manner, these teats are manufactured sterile and kept sterile until they are used in the clinic. Subsequent sterilization during manufacture or before first use in the clinic is not necessary." The teats can be disposed of after use or, if necessary, reused after later sterilization. The cost of supplying infants in the clinic with teats is drastically reduced and a significant improvement in the sterile state of teats in the clinic is achieved.

The teats are made from a single material, for example, especially when designed as drinking teats. The teats are made from any material,

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which can be injection molded. The suction cups are made of silicone, a thermoplastic elastomer or another soft, elastic plastic.

According to one embodiment, the teats are manufactured in a multi-component injection molding process from at least one hard component and at least one soft component, preferably in a two-component (2K) injection molding process, i.e. from two components. The hard component forms, for example, a screw ring or a significant part of a screw ring of the teat and the soft component forms, for example, a nipple, a spout and, if necessary, a coating of the screw ring of the teat. In the case of pacifiers, for example, the hard component forms the mouth shield and, if necessary, a safety strip embedded in a nipple and the soft component forms the nipple and, if necessary, a coating of the mouth shield. Corresponding teats and methods for their manufacture are described in particular in DE 195 20 540 C2 and DE 42 29 224 C2, the content of which is incorporated into the present application by reference.

The hard component is, for example, PP, PE or another polyolefin. The soft component is, for example, silicone or a thermoplastic elastomer (TPE). The thermoplastic elastomer is, for example, SEBS. According to one embodiment, the suction cups comprise a hard component made of polypropylene and a soft component made of SEBS. The connection between the hard component and the soft component can be made by form-fitting and/or frictional locking and/or material bonding. For a material-bonded connection, for example, a hard component with a thermoplastic elastomer that can be cross-linked with it is used.

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According to one embodiment, first a hard component and then a soft component of the suction cup are injection molded. In this case, for example, a hard support structure is coated or connected with a soft material.

The suction cups can be made sterile by sterilizing them before packaging. According to an advantageous embodiment, the suction cups are injection molded under temperature and pressure conditions under which microorganisms are killed and the sterile condition is achieved during injection molding. According to one embodiment, the suction cups are injection molded at temperatures of around 220 to ^{260 °} C. When the suction cups are manufactured using a two-component injection molding process using polypropylene and a thermoplastic elastomer, temperatures of around 240 ^° C can be achieved in the plasticizing unit or in the injection unit and during hardening in the cavities of the injection molding tool of the injection molding machine. These conditions kill microorganisms and do not allow germs to remain on the suction cups. This sterile condition is maintained by packaging the suction cups under clean room conditions in sterile packaging until use.

In the case of teats, a drinking hole can generally be inserted into the teat after injection molding. According to one design, the teats are injection molded with a drinking hole, which makes subsequent incorporation of the drinking hole unnecessary and further ensures that the teats are sterile.

A drinking bottle is usually equipped with ventilation, which is usually located on the teats. A ventilation opening is formed, for example, between the teat flange and the opening edge of the bottle. For this purpose, the teat flange can have one or more radial channels on its underside. It is also known to adjust the opening cross-section of the ventilation opening by adjusting the screw ring, i.e. to provide an adjustable valve. Corresponding channels can be introduced on the underside of the teat flange during injection molding. It is also known to provide the teats with a valve slot on the spout. According to the invention, a valve slot is introduced into the teats after injection molding under clean room conditions. This ensures that the teats are sterile even if a valve slot is subsequently introduced.

If the suction cups consist of only one component, they can be injection molded in a single injection mold (or "injection station"). In the multi-component injection molding process, suction cups can be injection molded in a single or multiple injection molds. According to one embodiment, the suction cups are completely injection molded in one injection station or a first component is injected in a first injection station and the pre-molded parts are transported from the first injection station to a second injection station and a second component is injected there and/or the finished injection molded parts are transported from the (possibly second) injection station to a slot station and slotted there and/or the slotted suction cups are transported from a slot station to a packaging station and packaged there.

The absence of germs is ensured by an airtight packaging made of germ-free material. According to one embodiment, the packaging material is at least partially

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made of plastic. According to one embodiment, the teats are sealed in film material and thus packaged airtight. According to one embodiment, the teats are packaged in blister packs.

According to one embodiment, the material for packaging is provided as a sterile film web on rolls under clean room conditions.

The fully packaged vacuum cleaners are, for example, removed from the clean room from time to time. For continuous production and to avoid contamination of the clean room when packaged vacuum cleaners are removed, the packaged vacuum cleaners are removed from the clean room area according to one embodiment. According to one embodiment, the packaged vacuum cleaners are labeled and/or given an outer packaging outside the clean room area. This avoids contamination in the clean room area through labeling or other packaging processes that can be carried out on the sterile packaged vacuum cleaners without affecting their sterile condition.

The device according to the invention, in particular for carrying out the methods described above, has

an enclosure in which clean room conditions can be created,

- an injection moulding machine for the production of suction cups, arranged at least partially in the housing,

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at least one transport device arranged in the housing, in whose working area the injection moulding machine is located, and

- a packaging machine arranged at least partially in the enclosure and located in the working area of the transport device.

The injection molding machine comprises an injection unit, an injection molding tool and a clamping unit. At least those parts of the devices required for the manufacture of suction cups, such as the injection molding machine and the packaging machine, which come into direct contact with the suction cups are installed in the housing. The housing also contains a transport device which transports the suction cups manufactured by the injection molding machine to the packaging machine. Clean room conditions are guaranteed for all devices required from sterile production to sterile packaging, so that the suction cups are sterile in the packaging.

The housing preferably meets cleanroom class A according to c'GMP. The process from the manufacture of the teat to its packaging therefore takes place in a low-particle environment.

According to one design, the following machines or plant components are located within the enclosure:

- the tool area of the injection molding machine (injection mold and clamping unit),

the facility for transport,

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optionally the slot station for the realization of a valve slot and
- the loading area of the packaging machine.

According to one embodiment, the injection molding machine is a multi-component injection molding machine, e.g. a 2K injection molding machine. The production of a 2K teat with an integral screw ring simplifies the application and reduces the risk of contamination of the teat during use.

According to one embodiment, the injection molding machine is arranged on a rail bed on which it can be moved out through a closable opening in the housing, e.g. to change the injection molding tool. According to a further embodiment, the injection molding machine has a sealing plate on each side of the clamping unit in order to seal the housing when the injection molding machine is extended and retracted.

According to one embodiment, the injection molding machine has several (e.g. two) injection molding tools for injecting a multi-component suction cup.

According to one embodiment, the transport device is a robot. Suitable industrial robots are available. According to another embodiment, it is a six-axis robot.

According to one embodiment, a slot device is provided in the working area of the device for transporting in the housing. This embodiment relates to teats with a slot valve.

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According to one embodiment, the packaging machine is a blister machine.

According to one embodiment, the packaging machine is preferably assigned a roll magazine for film webs within a further housing. This includes, for example, bottom film rolls and top film rolls from which blister packs are formed in a known manner. The roll magazine for the film webs is preferably located in the area of clean room class B (according to c'GMP). Any germs present on the top and bottom films are killed by means of UV light, which is arranged immediately before the films are sealed.

According to one embodiment, the housing and, if applicable, the further housing are arranged within a clean room cell, which includes all the equipment required for the process, such as injection molding machine, transport device, slitting device, packaging machine and roll magazine. Clean room class C (according to c'GMP) can be guaranteed everywhere within the clean room cell, i.e. clean environmental conditions. The insertion area of the packaging machine is preferably located within the housing in the clean room class A area and the rest of the packaging machine is preferably located in the clean room cell in the clean room class C area. The end of the packaging machine can be led out through a wall of the clean room cell so that the packaged suction cups can leave the clean room cell.

According to one embodiment, the enclosure and/or the further enclosure and/or the clean room cell comprises at least one closable opening and/or lock.

Through the closable opening and/or lock, persons and/or materials and/or vacuum cleaners can get in or out while largely avoiding contamination.

According to one embodiment, a device for labeling and/or a device for repackaging the packaging is provided outside the housing and/or further housing and/or clean room cell.

The invention is explained below with reference to the attached drawings of an embodiment. In the drawings:

Fig. 1 shows the device for carrying out the method in a roughly schematic plan view;

Fig. 2 the same device with an allocation of the different clean room areas.

The device for producing suction cups comprises a 2K injection molding machine 1, a robot 2, a slitting device 3 and a blister packaging machine 4.

A 2K injection molding tool &Ggr; and a clamping unit 1" of the injection molding machine 1, the slotting device 3 and the insertion area 4' of the packaging machine 4 are located in the working area of the robot 2. They are arranged within a housing 5 (clean room class A).

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The injection unit &Ggr;" is located outside the recess 5, as well as the insertion area 4' including the sealing area downstream of parts 4", 4'" of the packaging machine 4.

The injection molding machine 1 stands on a rail bed 6 and can be moved out of the housing 5 for tool changes. The injection molding machine 1 has a sealing plate 7, 8 on each side of its clamping unit 1" in order to seal the housing 5 when the injection molding machine 1 is retracted and extended.

A roll magazine 9 for film webs and a part 4" of the packaging machine 4 are arranged in further housings 10, 11 (clean room class B).

The enclosures 5, 10 have closable openings 12, 13, 14 for access.

The devices and enclosures described above are arranged in a clean room cell 15 (clean room class C), with the packaging machine 4 being guided with a part 4'" through a closable opening 16 of the clean room cell 15. The clean room cell 15 is provided with further closable openings 17, 18 or locks 19, 20 for the passage of persons and/or material.

Using this device, the hard component is first injected into the injection molding tool &Ggr; of the injection molding machine 1 and then the soft component.

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the robot 2 takes the injection moldings from the injection molding tool 1' and places them in the slitting device 3. The valve is slit there. After heating, the slitting device 3 changes the position of the injection moldings to the position of the film bags, swivels them by 180° and places them in a film bag of a blister pack in the loading area of the packaging machine 4. There, the film bags are sealed and the packaging machine 4 transports the finished packaged parts out of the clean room cell 15. The packaged suction cups can be removed at 21.

In Fig. 2, the clean room areas of classes A, B, C and D are highlighted by different hatchings, the assignment of which is given in the legend on the edge of the drawing.

Claims (14)

1. Device for injection moulding and packaging of suction cups, with - an enclosure ( 5 ) in which clean room conditions can be created, - an injection moulding machine ( 1 ) arranged at least partially in the housing ( 5 ) for the production of suction cups, - at least one transport device ( 2 ) arranged in the housing ( 5 ), in the working area of which the injection moulding machine ( 1 ) is located, and - a packaging machine ( 4 ) which is at least partially arranged in the housing ( 5 ) and is located in the working area of the transport device ( 2 ). 2. Device according to claim 1, wherein the tool area of the injection molding machine ( 1 ) and the insertion area of the packaging machine ( 4 ) are arranged in the housing ( 5 ). 3. Device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the injection molding machine ( 1 ) is a multi-component injection molding machine. 4. Device according to one of claims 1 to 3, in which the injection molding machine ( 1 ) is arranged on a rail bed ( 6 ) on which it can be moved out of the housing ( 5 ) through a closable opening. 5. Device according to one of claims 1 to 4, in which the injection molding machine ( 1 ) has several injection stations for injecting a multi-component suction cup, which are located in the working area of the device for transporting ( 2 ). 6. Device according to one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the transporting device ( 2 ) is a robot. 7. Device according to claim 6, wherein the robot ( 2 ) is a six-axis robot. 8. Device according to one of claims 1 to 7, in which a slotting device ( 3 ) is present in the working area of the transport device ( 2 ) in the housing ( 5 ). 9. Device according to one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the packaging machine ( 4 ) is a blister machine. 10. Device according to one of claims 1 to 9 with a roll magazine ( 9 ) for film webs, which is assigned to the packaging machine ( 4 ). 11. Device according to claim 10, wherein the roll magazine ( 9 ) is arranged within a further housing ( 10 ). 12. Device according to one of claims 1 to 11, in which the housing ( 5 ) and/or the further housing ( 10 ) and/or the injection molding machine ( 1 ) and/or the packaging machine ( 4 ) and/or the device for transporting ( 2 ) and/or the slitting station ( 3 ) is/are arranged within a clean room cell ( 15 ). 13. Device according to one of claims 1 to 12, in which the housing ( 5 ) and/or the further housing ( 10 ) and/or the clean room cell ( 15 ) comprises/comprise at least one closable opening ( 12 , 13 , 14 , 16 , 18 ) and/or at least one lock ( 19 , 20 ). 14. Device according to one of claims 1 to 13, in which a device for labeling and/or a device for repackaging the packaging is present outside the housing ( 5 ) and/or the further housing ( 10 ) and/or the clean room cell ( 15 ).