Shelf lowering and vial stoppering freeze-drying apparatus
OwnerThomas E. Norton, Sr.inventor
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Abstract
Upper shelves supported within a tall vacuum drying chamber of freeze drying apparatus are positioned above eye level sighting of an operator of average height, rendering loading of vials upon these upper shelves and unloading therefrom, a difficult task. Typically, the vials, containing pharmaceutical or biological liquid, have stoppers loosely engaged therein. Means are provided for stacking the upper shelves to an appropriate sighting level for sequential loading which returns the shelves to their initial position. The loaded shelves are again lowered to a comfortable height for unloading thereof after all vials on lower and upper shelves have their loosely fitted stoppers fully engaged within their vials by stoppering means.
Claims13
Freeze drying apparatus comprising
- a chamber having a plurality of initially positioned, predeterminedly spaced, horizontally disposed, vertically aligned shelves supported therewithin,
- means for simultaneously depressing a plurality of upper of said shelves to form a progressively increasing stack thereof atop an intermediately disposed support shelf,
- means for controllably elevating each of said stacked shelves successively to said initially predeterminedly spaced disposition, and
- additional means for elevating each shelf within said chamber disposed below uppermost of said shelves to decrease said predeterminedly spaced distance between adjacent shelves.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.