Apparatus and method for monitoring and controlling the removal of a cover from a sealed tube in an aseptic environment

• Main Author: Diaz Guerrero, Carlos Alberto
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 20.12.2022
• Subjects: BABY COMFORTERS; CONTAINERS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR MEDICAL OR PHARMACEUTICALPURPOSES; CONVEYING; DEVICES FOR ADMINISTERING FOOD OR MEDICINES ORALLY; DEVICES FOR RECEIVING SPITTLE; DEVICES OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR BRINGINGPHARMACEUTICAL PRODUCTS INTO PARTICULAR PHYSICAL ORADMINISTERING FORMS; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL; HUMAN NECESSITIES; HYGIENE; MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGINGARTICLES OR MATERIALS; MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; PACKING; PERFORMING OPERATIONS; STORING; TRANSPORTING; UNPACKING

A system is presented for monitoring and controlling in a sterilizable environment the peeling of a cover from a tub sealed by the cover. The system employs a platform having a fiducial source locating structure for holding the tub, a cover removal station disposed to engage with the cover and to peel the cover from the tub, a light source disposed to illuminate a portion of the platform proximate the cover removal station, a light sensor sensitive to light from the light source and disposed to preferentially collect and measure light diffusely reflected from the illuminated portion of the platform, and a controller with software to operate the system. An associated method for monitoring and controlling the peeling of the cover involves moving a peeled portion of the cover into a predetermined peeling monitor zone within the illuminated portion of the platform, and measuring an intensity of light from the light source diffusely reflected specifically from the peeling monitor zone. The positioning of the elements of the system and the peeling monitor zone allow measured light intensity to be employed as a control measure for the peeling process.