Device and method for freeze-dryng liquid-containing composition
AssigneeRheavita BV
InventorsJozef Antonius Willem Maria CORVER, Menno Cornellis BOUHUIJS, Michel PRIJS
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Abstract
The invention relates to a device for freeze-drying a liquid-containing composition, including but not limited to injectable compositions, in particular pharmaceutical compositions, biological compositions, cosmetic compositions or medical nutritional products. In particular, the present disclosure relates to a device suitable for freeze-drying liquid-containing compositions in a continuous process and to methods therefore. The device for freeze-drying a liquid containing composition in a continuous process comprises one or more, preferably three or more, of a spinner, a transportation mechanism, a vial handler, a vacuum door, and a stoppering system.
Claims15
A transportation mechanism for use in a device for freeze-drying a liquid-containing composition in a continuous process, the transportation mechanism comprising:
- two or more platforms for receiving vials;
- and
- a walking beam, said walking beam comprising an elongated member having an at least partly open bottom surface, and
- wherein a cross-sectional shape of the elongated member comprises two lateral projections on opposing sides of the at least partly open bottom surface, said projections being arranged to engage with a neck portion of the vial, said walking beam being arranged to move along a first vertical axis and along a second axis parallel to the elongated member to move at least one vial between the two or more platforms.
A method for transporting a plurality of vials, each vial being respectively transported at the same time from a start platform for that vial to an end platform for that vial, wherein the start platforms are different for each vial and wherein the end platforms are different for each vial;
- the method comprising:
- engaging with a neck portion of each vial at its start platform;
- performing an upward vertical movement of each vial;
- performing a horizontal movement of each vial, such that each vial is above its end platform;
- performing a downward vertical movement of each vial so that each vial is placed on its end platform;
- and
- disengaging with the neck portion of each vial at its end platform.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.