The present invention relates to a container packaging assembly. More particularly, the invention relates to an integration of nozzle inserter, cap-tightening system and torque measurement device to make the assembly one-stop packaging for sterile container.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In general, packaging of containers in particular, eye or ear drop bottles serves product protection mainly during the transportation. In the packaging of the containers, nozzle insertion and tightening of cap are the essential aspect in particular to the packaging of eye or ear drop bottles. Insertion of different type of nozzles controls the rate of drop from the bottles which further affect the bioavailability of the drug to be administered. Caps or closures seal the container to prevent the contamination or leakage of the product. Container cappers which utilize improved container cap grasping and rotating mechanisms is the need of hour. Also, the predetermined tightening torque during cap tightening is another essential requirement in packaging of eye or ear drop bottles.
Current trends and the latest developments in this area can be seen today in this domain to provide the packaging assembly which can provide the predetermined torque. For example, one of the applications of this technology was demonstrated by CN208429260U where it was showed an utility model which provides a kind of eye drops packaging facilities including filling, wrapping up in packets and sealing and has focused mainly on maintain hygiene and cleanliness while packaging. The disadvantage of this invention is that it has failed to disclose how the torque can be adjusted during capping or sealing.
WO2009080594A1 discloses an apparatus adapted to automatically close test tubes using caps and seals to ensure the integrity of the specimens during the transportation. It discloses only the capping mechanism and does not disclose how much amount of torque will be applied while capping the containers.
US1598392A discloses an automatic machine adapted to mechanically turn or spin a closure device requiring rotary movement into its proper position with reference to the bottle to be closed. It provides a machine for closing the containers but failed to disclose how the caps will be closed by the application of the pre-determined amount of torque to tighten the caps on the container.
The major difficulties with most of these devices disclosed in the prior art has been the inability to assure proper nozzle insertion, adequate tightening of the cap, alignment of the cap on the neck of the container, and in some instances, the containers have been crushed as a result of the application of too much turning force or vertical pressure on the neck of the container.
Accordingly, there is a need for an approach that can resolve out problems of the state of the art by providing economic, low power consuming, protective packaging system which can apply an adequate pre-determined torque for tightening the cap on container. The present invention meets the purpose of providing a dual purpose semi-automatic or automatic packaging assembly for research and development purposes at the lab scale level.
OBJECT OF THE INVENTION
The main object of the present invention is to provide a dual purpose semi-automatic or automatic packaging assembly having integration of nozzle inserter and cap-tightening system.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a packaging assembly for containers, preferably, eye or ear drop bottles.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide an assembly for insertion of nozzle at the inlet of container after filling of the ophthalmic formulation in container.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide an assembly for tightening the cap at the neck of container to prevent the spillage during transportation.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a torque measurement device which is configured to measure and display the torque applied after tightening of the cap.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide an assembly configured to apply a pre-determined torque during the tightening of the cap.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a packaging assembly having the torque compliance as per the various pharmacopeia guidelines.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a packaging assembly to different size of containers.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a novel and inventive approach for the packaging of container by nozzle insertion and cap tightening system simultaneously in one assembly.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide an container packaging system with low manufacturing costs.
Still another object of the present invention is to come up with a consumer-friendly assembly by providing switches to control the operation of assembly either manually or semi-automatically or automatically.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a dual function packaging assembly for containers preferably for the eye or ear drop bottles, providing the nozzle insertion and the cap-tightening system.
The present invention further relates to incorporation of torque measurement device which measures the torque applied during the tightening of the cap. The integration of nozzle inserting unit, cap-tightening unit and cam follower system make the assembly of the present invention novel and inventive and provides one-stop packaging assembly means for packaging of containers.
In an embodiment, the present invention provides a container packaging assembly for packaging a plurality of containers comprising a nozzle inserting unit which consists of a plurality of components comprising of a container stand (1) and a nozzle inserter (4).
According to another embodiment, the present invention provides a container packaging assembly for packaging a plurality of containers comprising a cap tightening unit which consists of a container clamping or mounting part (6), a cap tightening system (5), a torque measurement device (7), a rotary motor (2) and a rotary motor switch (9). The packaging assembly further consist of a cam-follower system (3) and a reciprocator motion switch (8), a speed regulator knob (10), and an ON/OFF switch (11).
According to another embodiment, the present invention provides a container packaging assembly for packaging a plurality of containers wherein the nozzle inserter (4) is an extended part of the cap tightening system (5) and is placed co-axially with the cap tightening system (5).
According to another embodiment, the present invention provides a container packaging assembly for packaging a plurality of containers wherein the speed of the cam follower is controlled by the speed regulator knob.
According to another embodiment, the present invention further comprises container stand which can holds the container filled with the formulation preferably ophthalmic or otic formulation.
According to another embodiment, the present invention further comprises a nozzle inserter which inserts a nozzle at the inlet of the filled container.
According to another embodiment, the present invention further comprises a container clamping or mounting part which simultaneously holds the second container which is placed individually along with a cap on the neck of the container.
According to another embodiment, the present invention further comprises the cap tightening system which exerts torque on the cap and aids in tightening the cap on the neck of the container.
According to another embodiment, the present invention further comprises the torque measurement device which is placed below the container clamping or mounting part. The torque measurement device measures the applied torque after tightening of the cap.
In yet another embodiment, the present invention provides a process of packaging a plurality of containers which comprises steps of selecting and tightening of the different size of containers having same closure size, the rotary motor switch is used to control the motion of cap tightening unit, reciprocator switch is used to start the cam follower system, container along with the nozzle is placed in container stand when the cam follower is at the topmost corner, nozzle inserter firmly fits the nozzle at the inlet of the container when it comes down, when the nozzle inserter goes up again the container is removed and placed in the container mounting/clamping part which is opened by the handle which is attached to the mounting part and closed to firmly hold the container to which cap is placed at the neck, follower comes down along with the cap tightening system and exerts the torque and tightens the cap, torque is measured using the torque measurement device and finally the handle is opened manually and container is removed from the clamping or mounting part.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
A complete understanding of the system and method of the present invention may be obtained by reference to the following drawings:
Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view of the container packaging assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 2 is a 3D view of the container packaging assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The present invention will now be described hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings in which a preferred embodiment of the invention is shown. This invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as being limited to the embodiment set forth herein. Rather, the embodiment is provided so that this disclosure will be thorough, and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art.
Many aspects of the invention can be better understood with references made to the drawings below. The components in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale. Instead, emphasis is placed upon clearly illustrating the components of the present invention. Moreover, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts through the several views in the drawings. Before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention, it is to be understood that the embodiments of the invention are not limited in their application to the details of construction and to the arrangement of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The embodiments of the invention are capable of being practiced and carried out in various ways. In addition, the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting.
The present invention provides the integration of nozzle inserter, cap-tightening system and torque measurement device in to one system which works all together accurately almost at all the times and make the assembly of the present invention novel and inventive and provides one-stop packaging assembly means for packaging of the containers.
Figure 1 shows a container packaging assembly for packaging a plurality of containers comprising a plurality of components of an aluminium body structure comprising of a container stand (1), a rotary motor (2), a cam-follower system (3), a nozzle inserter (4), a cap tightening system (5), a container clamping or mounting part (6), a torque measurement device (7), a reciprocator motion switch (8), rotary motor switch (9), speed regulator knob (10) and an on/off switch (11).
Meanwhile, the container stand (1) holds the container filled with the formulation preferably ophthalmic or otic formulation, the cam-follower system (3) consists of a rotary paddle to adjust height of the nozzle inserting and the cap tightening unit, the nozzle inserter (4) inserts a nozzle at the inlet of the container, the container clamping or mounting part (6) simultaneously holds the second container which is placed individually along with a cap on the neck of the container, the cap tightening system (5) exerts torque on the cap and aids in tightening the cap on the neck of the container, the torque measurement device (7) shows a torque after tightening of the cap and is placed below the container clamping or mounting part (6), the rotary motor switch (9) is used to control the motion of rotary motor (2) and the cap tightening system (5), reciprocator switch (8) is used to start the cam follower system (3), the speed regulator knob (10) regulates speed of cam follower and the on/off switch (11) is provided for the ease of convenience to the consumer to regulate the power source supply to the packaging assembly.
The present invention provides a process of packaging a plurality of containers which comprises steps of selecting and tightening of the different size of containers, turning on the assembly using the ON/OFF switch; starting rotation of the rotary motor (2) and the cap tightening unit using the rotary motor switch (9), reciprocator switch (8) is used to start the cam follower system (3), container along with the nozzle is placed in container stand (1) when the follower is at the topmost corner, nozzle inserter (4) firmly fits the nozzle at the inlet of the container when it comes down, when the nozzle inserter (4) goes up again the container is removed and placed in the container mounting/clamping part (6) which is opened by the handle which is attached to the mounting part and closed to firmly hold the container to which cap is placed at the neck, follower comes down along with the cap tightening system (5) and exerts the torque and tightens the cap, torque is measured using the torque measurement device (7) and finally the handle is opened manually and container is removed from the clamping or mounting part.

Claims:We Claim:
1. A container packaging assembly for packaging a plurality of containers comprising:
a) a nozzle inserting unit which consists of a plurality of components comprising of a container stand (1) and a nozzle inserter (4);
b) a cap tightening unit which consists of a plurality of components comprising of a container clamping or mounting part (6), a cap tightening system (5), a torque measurement device (7), a rotary motor (2) and a rotary motor switch (9);
c) a cam-follower system (3) which consists of a rotary paddle to adjust height of the nozzle inserting and the cap tightening unit,
d) a reciprocator motion switch (8), and
e) a speed regulator knob (10), and an ON/OFF switch (11)
wherein:
the nozzle inserter (4) is an extended part of the cap tightening system (5) and is placed co-axially with the cap tightening system (5);
the cap tightening unit is turned on by the rotary motor switch (9);
the cam follower system (3) is turned on using reciprocator motion switch (8) and speed of the cam follower system (3) is controlled by the speed regulator knob (10);
the rotary motor (2) provides enough torque to the cap tightening system (5) for tightening of the cap;
said assembly is configured to apply a pre-determined torque during the tightening of a cap; and
a torque measurement device (7) is placed under the container clamping or mounting (6) part to measure the applied torque.

2. The container packaging assembly as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the nozzle inserter (4) and the cap tightening system (5) are at enough distance to obviate interference in each other’s operation and both are attached to same follower and moved in same profile.

3. The container packaging assembly as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the speed of up and down motion of the nozzle inserter (4) and the cap tightening system (5) is adjusted by the speed regulator knob (10).

4. The container packaging assembly as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the start and stop motion of the rotary motor (2) and the cap tightening system (5) is controlled by the rotary motor switch (9).

5. The container packaging assembly as claimed in Claim 1, wherein a handle is attached to the container clamping or mounting part (6) which opens and closes manually to hold the container.

6. The container packaging assembly as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the torque measurement device (7) is placed directly under the container clamping or mounting (6) part to measure the applied torque.

7. A process of packaging a plurality of containers comprising steps of:
a) turning on the system using the ON/OFF switch;
b) starting rotation of the rotary motor and the cap tightening system using the rotary motor switch;
c) adjusting the height of the nozzle inserter and the cap tightening system with the rotary paddle with respect to the size of container;
d) starting the cam follower using the reciprocator motion switch;
e) regulating speed of the cam follower system using a speed regulator knob.
f) placing the container along with the nozzle at inlet of the container in a container stand when a follower is at topmost corner;
g) fitting the nozzle firmly in to the container when the nozzle inserter comes
h) removing the container from the container stand and placing it in a container clamping or mounting part individually along with the cap by opening the handle and closing it manually which is attached to the container clamping or mounting part;
i) exerting a torque and tightening the cap when the follower comes down along with the cap tightening system;
j) displaying the torque in a torque measurement device after tightening of the cap which is in compliance with an USP guidelines;
k) removing the container from the container clamping or mounting part by manually opening the handle.