Plunger rod and syringe assembly system and method

A machine for coupling a plunger rod to a syringe assembly, the machine comprising:

• a carriage having a movable cradle including a seat portion sized to receive a syringe assembly and an aperture portion disposed above the seat portion sized to receive a plunger rod;
• an actuating device operatively coupled to the carriage and adapted to move the cradle from a first position to a second position to couple the plunger rod to the syringe assembly;
• a pressure plate positioned adjacent to the carriage so that the cradle moves beneath the pressure plate when the cradle moves from the first position to the second position, the pressure plate adapted to apply a downward force to the plunger rod disposed in the aperture portion of the cradle when the cradle moves from the first position to the second position;
• and
• at least one of the following (a) through (e):
• (a) a constant tension spring operatively coupled to the pressure plate, the pressure plate defining an inlet portion adapted to receive a proximal end of the plunger rod when the cradle moves from the first position to the second position, the constant tension spring providing the downward force to the plunger rod, applied via the pressure plate, when the cradle moves between the first position and the second position;
• (b) a friction element disposed adjacent to the carriage and below the pressure plate, the friction element adapted to engage a syringe barrel of the syringe assembly carried by the cradle as the cradle moves from the first position to the second position, the friction element adapted to apply a rotational force to the syringe barrel to spin the syringe assembly relative to the plunger rod when the cradle moves from the first position to the second position;
• (c) wherein the actuating device is operatively connected to the carriage and adapted to index the cradle between the first position and the second position in response to an activation event;
• (d) wherein the cradle includes a cradle axis that is coaxial with longitudinal axes of the syringe assembly and plunger rod when the syringe assembly and plunger rod are disposed in the cradle, the cradle axis being disposed at an angle greater than zero degrees relative to vertical;
• and
• (e) wherein the carriage is selected from separate and interchangeable first and second carriages, the first carriage including a cradle having a seat portion sized to receive a syringe assembly of a first size and the second carriage including a cradle having a seat portion sized to receive a syringe assembly of a second size.