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US 12,618,859 B2Granted
Methods and systems for automated syringe quality evaluation
AssigneeAmgen Inc.
InventorsVikashni Padmakumar, Evan Kruchowy, Daniel Coller, Opeyemi Babatola, Oscar Rosas Andrade, Gregory Evans, Stephen Flores
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Automatic syringe quality control systems, apparatus and methods are provided. The automatic syringe quality control systems, apparatus and methods may determine a plunger depth within a syringe that has been pre-filled with a medication. The plunger depth may be based on digital image data.
Claims14
A method of rapid syringe quality verification, comprising:
- providing an imaging system including an imaging surface and a processor;
- securing a syringe in an alignment device, the alignment device comprising:
- (a) a syringe rack defining a syringe receptacle receiving and aligning the syringe relative to the syringe rack, the syringe receptacle comprising an open end with a perimeter against which a flange end of the syringe rests, or
- (b) a spring actuated mechanism retaining the syringe;
- aligning the syringe on the imaging surface relative to the imaging system by disposing the alignment device on the imaging surface, the syringe having a transparent or translucent syringe barrel including a distal end and a proximal end, and a plunger disposed inside of the syringe barrel and located at a plunger depth relative to the distal end of the syringe barrel;
- capturing an image of the syringe, including the plunger and a distal end of the syringe;
- measuring, via the processor, the plunger depth;
- and
- determining, via the processor, whether the plunger depth is within a predetermined tolerance.
6 more elements
A method of analyzing a plurality of syringes, comprising:
- providing an alignment device, carrying a plurality of syringes, each syringe including a transparent or translucent syringe barrel having a distal end and a proximal end, a flange end at the distal end, and a plunger disposed inside of the syringe barrel, the alignment device comprising:
- (a) a syringe rack defining a plurality of syringe receptacles receiving and aligning the plurality of syringes relative to the syringe rack, each of the plurality of syringe receptacles comprising an open end with a perimeter against which the flange end of a syringe of the plurality of syringes rests, or
- (b) a spring actuated mechanism retaining the plurality of syringes;
- providing an imaging system, including an imaging surface having at least one alignment tab;
- disposing the alignment device and the plurality of syringes on the imaging surface against the at least one alignment tab;
- capturing an image, via a camera, of the alignment device and the plurality of syringes;
- and
- measuring, via a processor, a plunger depth relative to the distal end of the syringe barrel of each plunger disposed in each of the plurality of syringes;
- and
- determining, via the processor, whether the plunger depth of each plunger is within a predetermined tolerance.
7 more elements
An automatic syringe measurement system, comprising:
- an imaging system capable of generating imaging data, including a camera, an imaging surface, and an illumination source;
- an alignment device for aligning at least one syringe relative to the imaging system, the alignment device comprising:
- (a) a syringe rack defining at least one syringe receptacle receiving and aligning the at least syringe relative to the syringe rack, the at least syringe receptacle comprising an open end with a perimeter against which a flange end of the at least one syringe rests, or
- (b) a spring actuated mechanism retaining the at least one syringe;
- and
- a processor configured to receive the imaging data from the imaging system to determine whether a depth of a plunger within a barrel of the at least one syringe is within a predetermined tolerance.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.