System and method for purging oxygen from medical vials

A method to purge oxygen and substitute a non-reactive gas in medical vials, comprising:

• providing a medical vial filling system adapted to transfer a medical vial between a filling station that fills the medical vial with a solution and a capping station that inserts a plug in the filled medical vial;
• providing a manifold in the medical vial filling system disposed between the filling station and the capping station, the manifold including an inlet port and a plurality of output ports, the output ports positioned in a space above and around the medical vial when the medical vial is positioned in the filling station and in an enclosed space through which the medical vial passes while being transferred between the filling station and the capping station;
• and
• providing a supply of a non-reactive gas at the inlet port whereby the non-reactive gas flows out the manifold outlet ports to evacuate oxygen and substitute the non-reactive gas in the filled medical vial.

A medical vial filling system adapted to fill a medical vial with a solution and cap the filled medical vial comprising:

• a transport mechanism including a plurality of bushings, each bushing for selectively carrying a medical vial, in use, between a filling station that fills the medical vial with a solution and a capping station that inserts a plug in the filled medical vial;
• a manifold disposed between the filling station and the capping station, the manifold including a filling inlet port and a plurality of output ports, the output ports positioned in a space proximate the filling station and in a space over the transport mechanism;
• and
• a stoppering block including a capping chamber for receiving a bushing positioned at the capping station, the stoppering block comprising a stoppering inlet port, a first nozzle opening into the capping chamber and a second nozzle extending into the capping chamber and directed into the medical vial when the medical vial is positioned in the capping station,
• whereby a supply of a non-reactive gas at the filling inlet port directs flow of the non-reactive gas out the manifold outlet ports to evacuate air and substitute the non-reactive gas in the filled medical vial and at the stoppering inlet port directs flow of the non-reactive gas in a flood zone surrounding a space above the medical vials when the medical vial is positioned in the capping station and in a stream directed into the medical vial when the medical vial is positioned in the capping station.