# US 11,897,640 B2 · Machine and process for preparing intravenous medicaments > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,897,640 B2 - Document ID: US11897640B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/469,460 - Filed: 2021-09-08 - Published: 2022-02-10 - Granted: 2024-02-13 - Earliest claimed: 2016-03-07 - Assignees: Swisslog Italia S.P.A. - Applicants: SWISSLOG ITALIA S.p.A. - Inventors: Michele Minisini - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11897640B2 ## CPC - B65B 3/003: {Filling medical containers such as ampoules, vials, syringes or the like} - A61J 1/20: Arrangements for transferring {or mixing} fluids, e.g. from vial to syringe - A61J 3/002: {Compounding apparatus specially for enteral or parenteral nutritive solutions (bottling liquids B67C)} - G07F 17/0092: {for assembling and dispensing of pharmaceutical articles (medical dispensers for private use, A61J7/00)} - B65B 3/04: Methods of, or means for, filling the material into the containers or receptacles - B65B: MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING (bundling and pressing devices for cigars A24C1/44; devices for tensioning and securing binders adapted to be supported by the article or articles to be bound B25B25/00; applying closure members to bottles, jars or similar containers B67B1/00-B67B6/00; concurrent cleaning, filling and closing of bottles B67C7/00; emptying bottles, jars, cans, casks, barrels or similar containers B67C9/00) - A61J: CONTAINERS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR MEDICAL OR PHARMACEUTICAL PURPOSES; DEVICES OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR BRINGING PHARMACEUTICAL PRODUCTS INTO PARTICULAR PHYSICAL OR ADMINISTERING FORMS; DEVICES FOR ADMINISTERING FOOD OR MEDICINES ORALLY; BABY COMFORTERS; DEVICES FOR RECEIVING SPITTLE - G07F: COIN-FREED OR LIKE APPARATUS (coin sorting G07D3/00; coin testing G07D5/00; {handling coins or paper currencies apart from payment activated apparatus G07D; payment architectures, schemes or protocols G06Q20/00}) ## Abstract A machine for preparing intravenous medicaments including an enclosing structure having a plurality of lateral walls arranged to define a closed internal working environment. An access station affords selective access to the closed internal working environment. One lateral wall is an equipped wall on which there are defined a plurality of stations for objects used in the preparation of intravenous medicaments. The stations on the equipped wall include temporary receiving or parking stations for the objects and operating stations for carrying out operations on the objects. A handling robot is programmed to transfer the objects from any station to any other station. The machine includes a metering module with one or more container support groups, a syringe support/metering member group, and a weighing group for weighing objects used in the preparation of intravenous medicaments. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A metering module for preparing intravenous medicaments, comprising: at least one container support arrangement; a rotating platform; at least one syringe support/metering member arrangement; at least one syringe weighing arrangement; at least one bag weighing arrangement; at least one needle unscrewing and/or syringe plugging arrangement; and a motor, the rotating platform being operatively connected to the motor, the at least one syringe support/metering member arrangement being supported on the rotating platform and surrounded radically by the at least one container support arrangement, the at least one needle unscrewing and/or syringe plugging arrangement, the at least one syringe weighing arrangement and, in a lower position, the at least one bag weighing arrangement, the rotating platform being oriented in a vertical plane and the motor rotating the rotating platform in the vertical plane to periodically arrangement at the at least one container support arrangement, the at least one needle unscrewing and/or syringe plugging arrangement, the at least one syringe weighing arrangement and the at least one bag weighing arrangement. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The metering module according to claim 1, further comprising at least one washing station. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The metering module according to claim 1, comprising one or more baskets for collecting objects allowed to fall by one of the at least one container support arrangement and/or by the at least one syringe support/metering member arrangement. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The metering module according to claim 1, wherein the at least one syringe support/metering member arrangement comprises a single syringe support/metering member arrangement. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The metering module according to claim 1, wherein the at least one container support arrangement comprises a plurality of pairs of pincers arranged so as to rotate about a substantially horizontal axis. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The metering module according to claim 1, wherein the at least one syringe support/metering member arrangement comprises a base support rotatable about a first substantially horizontal axis and movable in translation along a second axis transverse to the first axis. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The metering module according to claim 6, wherein the at least one syringe support/metering member arrangement comprises a pair of pincers for clamping a syringe body, a pair of pincers for clamping a syringe needle and a pair of pincers for clamping a syringe plunger, each of the pair of pincers for clamping a syringe body, the pair of pincers for clamping a syringe needle and the pair of pincers for clamping a syringe plunger being linearly movable. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The metering module according to claim 1, wherein the at least one needle unscrewing and/or syringe plugging arrangement comprises an operating member having a receiving member for receiving and gripping a syringe cover or a syringe needle, the at least one needle unscrewing and/or syringe plugging arrangement further including a translation member, the operating member being selectively rotatable and being associated with the translation member to press the syringe cover on a syringe or to extract the syringe needle from a syringe. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The metering module according to claim 1, wherein the at least one syringe weighing arrangement comprises an engaging element and a balance connected to the engaging element, the engaging element being resiliently loaded by a resilient loading action to grip an object to be weighed, and a motor member configured to loosen the engaging element by acting counter to the resilient loading action, the motor member being disengageable from the engaging element to isolate the balance from the motor member so as not to affect a weight measurement. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The metering module according to claim 1, wherein the at least one bag weighing arrangement comprises a balance, a bag support connected to the balance and a projecting member, the bag support being selectively liftable into abutment with the projecting member, the projecting member acting as an abutment and as a fixed reference. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The metering module according to claim 1, further comprising a support wall, the rotating platform, the at least one container support arrangement, the at least one syringe weighing arrangement, the at least one bag weighing arrangement, the at least one needle unscrewing and/or syringe plugging arrangement and the motor being mounted on the support wall. ### Claim 12 A metering module for preparing intravenous medicaments, comprising: a support wall; at least one container support arrangement mounted on the support wall; at least one weighing arrangement mounted on the support wall, the at least one weighing arrangement comprising a syringe weighing arrangement, the syringe weighing arrangement comprising: an engaging element loaded by a resilient loading action and configured to resiliently grip an object to be weighed; a balance connected to the engaging element; and a motor member operatively connected to the engaging element and configured to act counter to the resilient loading action of the engaging element to loosen a gripping force exerted by the engaging element on the object to be weighed, the motor member being disengageable from the engaging element to isolate the balance from the motor member so as not to affect a weight measurement of the object; the metering module further comprising at least one syringe support/metering member arrangement movably mounted on the support wall so as to be periodically positionable adjacent the at least one weighing arrangement and the at least one container support arrangement. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The metering module according to claim 12, wherein the at least one syringe support/metering member arrangement is disposed on the support wall radially inwardly of the at least one container support arrangement and the at least one weighing arrangement. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The metering module according to claim 12, further comprising at least one needle unscrewing and/or syringe plugging arrangement mounted on the support wall, the at least one syringe support/metering member arrangement being disposed on the support wall substantially centrally with respect to the at least one container support arrangement, the at least one weighing arrangement and the at least one needle unscrewing and/or syringe plugging arrangement. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The metering module according to claim 14, further comprising a rotatable platform mounted on the support wall and the at least one needle syringe support/metering member arrangement is supported on the rotatable platform and is periodically rotatably positionable adjacent the at least one container support arrangement, the at least one weighing arrangement and the at least one needle unscrewing and/or syringe plugging arrangement.