Systems and methods for filling and sealing vials

An apparatus for filling vials having a chamber and an inlet tube with therapeutic biological liquids, comprising:

• a carriage for holding a plurality of the vials through a filling and sealing process, wherein the carriage includes a tray as a base, the tray having side upwardly-extending walls;
• a liquid nozzle connected to a liquid dispenser that draws from a liquid reservoir, the liquid nozzle lowerable into inlet tubes of individual vials to dispense liquid via the inlet tube into the vial chamber so that some liquid remains in the inlet tube;
• an air nozzle connected to an air dispenser and dispensing filtered air, the air nozzle lowerable into inlet tubes of individual vials and operable to force air into the inlet tube to force liquid through the inlet tube into the vial chamber and to create suction to remove a portion of air from the inlet tube so as to leave an aliquot of liquid between air pockets in the inlet tube;
• at least one pair of sealing bars, each having a pair of heating elements separated by at least the distance between the air pockets, adapted to be pressed together against the inlet tube to make seals in the inlet tube on either side of the aliquot in the inlet tube, wherein the carriage includes supports extending upward from the tray, and an upper mount attached to the supports, the upper mount having a horizontal arm with a set of slots for accommodating vials, and
• further comprising a locking bar pivotally connected to the upper mount at a pivot point and having a series of slots, the locking bar being pivotable outward from a closed position in which the locking bar slots are generally aligned with the slots of the horizontal arm of the upper mount, and wherein a plurality of the locking bar slots have an edge closer to the pivot point that has a convex curve.

An apparatus for filling vials having a chamber and an inlet tube with therapeutic biological liquids, comprising:

• a carriage for holding a plurality of the vials through a filling and sealing process, wherein the carriage includes a tray as a base, the tray having side upwardly-extending walls;
• a liquid nozzle connected to a liquid dispenser that draws from a liquid reservoir, the liquid nozzle lowerable into inlet tubes of individual vials to dispense liquid via the inlet tube into the vial chamber so that some liquid remains in the inlet tube;
• an air nozzle connected to an air dispenser and dispensing filtered air, the air nozzle lowerable into inlet tubes of individual vials and operable to force air into the inlet tube to force liquid through the inlet tube into the vial chamber and to create suction to remove a portion of air from the inlet tube so as to leave an aliquot of liquid between air pockets in the inlet tube;
• at least one pair of sealing bars, each having a pair of heating elements separated by at least the distance between the air pockets, adapted to be pressed together against the inlet tube to make seals in the inlet tube on either side of the aliquot in the inlet tube,
• wherein the liquid nozzle and air nozzle are part of a fill fixture, and wherein the fill fixture further includes a registration pin and is fixed to a platform that moves vertically between an upper position clear of the vials and a lower position.