Process and apparatus for treating containers for storing substances for medical, pharmaceutical or cosmetic applications

A process for the treatment or processing of containers, which serve for storing substances for medical, pharmaceutical or cosmetic applications or contain such substances, wherein the containers are conveyed automatically, by a conveyor, to processing stations or pass them for the treatment or processing, in which process

• a plurality of containers are conveyed by the conveyor while the containers are supported by a supporting structure in a regular two-dimensional array, wherein the supporting structure comprises a plurality of openings or receptacles, which define the regular array, and
• the treatment or processing of the containers at or in at least one of the processing stations is carried out while the containers are supported by said supporting structure or while the containers are accommodated in openings or receptacles of said supporting structure,
• in which process a metal lid is crimped on the upper rim of the containers by a crimping device, wherein
• the containers are displaced in the respective opening or receptacle in an axial direction to a raised position to be crimped and are rotated about a longitudinal axis thereof in said raised position while the containers are accommodated in the openings or receptacles of the supporting structure, and
• are pushed back into the openings or receptacles to be supported by said supporting structure.

An apparatus for the treatment or processing of containers, which serve for storing substances for medical, pharmaceutical or cosmetic applications or contain such substances, wherein the containers are open at one end, said apparatus comprising

• a conveying device;
• and
• a plurality of processing stations, wherein the respective containers are treated or processed in or at a respective processing station, wherein one processing station is a freeze-dryer having at least one cooling plane, where a freeze-drying process is carried out;
• said apparatus being configured for the treatment or processing of the containers such
• that a plurality of containers are conveyed automatically, by said conveying device, to said processing stations or pass them to be treated or processed while the containers are supported by a supporting structure in a regular two-dimensional array, said supporting structure having a plurality of openings or receptacles, which together determine the regular array, and wherein the bottoms of the containers are freely accessible at their closed ends from a first side of said supporting structure, and
• that the bottoms are in direct contact with the respective cooling plane during the freeze-drying process in said freeze-dryer while the containers are supported by the supporting structure or are accommodated in the openings or receptacles of the supporting structure.

An apparatus for the treatment or processing of containers, which serve for storing substances for medical, pharmaceutical or cosmetic applications or contain such substances, said apparatus comprising:

• a conveying device;
• a plurality of processing stations, wherein the respective containers are treated or processed in or at a respective processing station;
• said apparatus being configured for the treatment or processing of the containers such
• that a plurality of containers are conveyed automatically, by said conveying device, to said processing stations or pass them to be treated or processed while the containers are supported by a supporting structure in a regular two-dimensional array, said supporting structure having a plurality of openings or receptacles, which together determine the regular array,
• a crimping device, where a metal lid is crimped on the upper rim of the containers, said apparatus being configured such that the containers
• are displaced in a longitudinal direction to a raised position while the containers are in the respective opening or receptacle to be crimped and are rotated about a longitudinal axis in said raised position while the containers are accommodated in the openings or receptacles of the supporting structure, and
• are pushed back into the openings or receptacles after said crimping.