U.S. patent number 3,885,915 [Application Number 05/311,434] was granted by the patent office on 1975-05-27 for method and apparatus for the sterilization of ampoules with pharmaceutical liquid therein.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Nihon Denshi Kabushiki Kaisha, Tanabe Seiyaku Co., Ltd.. Invention is credited to Kanae Murakami, Teruo Murayama, Tokuo Takahashi, Isamu Utsumi.
United States Patent |
3,885,915 |
Utsumi , et al. |
May 27, 1975 |
Method and apparatus for the sterilization of ampoules with
pharmaceutical liquid therein
Abstract
A method and apparatus for sterilizing liquid containing
ampoules having branch parts with microwave irradiation. The
ampoules are conveyed to a treating chamber and during irradiation
the ampoules are inclined so that liquid does not enter their
branch parts and are rotated about their longitudinal axes.
Immediately following irradiation, the ampoules may be tilted to
cause their branch parts to be filled with heated liquid.
Inventors: |
Utsumi; Isamu (Kyoto,
JA), Murakami; Kanae (Osaka, JA), Murayama;
Teruo (Saitama, JA), Takahashi; Tokuo (Tokyo,
JA) |
Assignee: |
Tanabe Seiyaku Co., Ltd.
(Osaka, JA)
Nihon Denshi Kabushiki Kaisha (Tokyo, JA)
|
Family
ID: |
26354913 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/311,434 |
Filed: |
December 1, 1972 |
Foreign Application Priority Data
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Dec 1, 1971 [JA] |
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46-97434 |
Feb 21, 1972 [JA] |
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47-18261 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
422/21; 426/241;
219/700; 426/407; 422/918 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A61L
2/12 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
A61L
2/08 (20060101); A61L 2/12 (20060101); A61l
001/00 (); A61l 003/00 () |
Field of
Search: |
;21/54R,80,12R
;426/234,405,406,407,241 ;219/10.55 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
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1,295,122 |
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Nov 1972 |
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GB |
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2,029,792 |
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Dec 1970 |
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DT |
|
Primary Examiner: Scovronek; Joseph
Assistant Examiner: Hagan; Timothy W.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Wenderoth, Lind & Ponack
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A method for sterilizing liquid-containing ampoules having
branch parts which comprises the steps of: inclining each ampoule
containing a liquid to an angle of inclination so that the liquid
does not enter the branch part of the ampoule; rotating the ampoule
about its longitudinal axis while in the inclined position; and
irradiating said ampoule with microwaves, so that the liquid does
not enter into the branch part of the ampoule during the
irradiation process.
2. A method for sterilizing liquid-containing ampoules as claimed
in claim 1, wherein each ampoule completes several rotations during
the microwave irradiation process.
3. A method for sterilizing liquid-containing ampoules as claimed
in claim 1, wherein the ampoule angle of inclination is from about
45.degree. to 70.degree. relative to vertical during the microwave
irradiation step.
4. A method for sterilizing liquid-containing ampoules as claimed
in claim 1, wherein the ampoule angle of inclination is from
60.degree. to 70.degree. relative to the vertical during the
microwave irradiation step.
5. A method as claimed in claim 5 further comprising the step of
adjusting the inclination angle of the ampoule supporting angle of
a conveying means after the microwave irradiating step so that the
branch part of the ampoule is thereafter filled with the heated
liquid.
6. An apparatus for sterilizing liquid-containing ampoules
comprising a microwave source, a heating chamber connected with
said microwave source, a conveying means operatively positioned for
passing liquid-containing ampoules through said heating chamber,
means associated with said conveying means for inclining said
ampoules so that the liquid may not enter the branch parts of the
ampoules while said ampoules are passing through the heating
chamber, means cooperating with the conveying means for rotating
said ampoules and means for adjusting the angle of inclination of
said ampoules after the ampoules pass through the heating chamber,
thereby filling branch parts of the ampoules with internal hot
liquid and positioned on a part of said conveying means extending
beyond said heating chamber.
Description
This invention relates to an improved method and apparatus for
sterilizing liquid-enclosing ampoules by irradiating said ampoules
with microwaves.
In the case of producing a sterile liquid pharmaceutical
preparation such as an injectable preparation, generally a
sterilizing treatment by an externally heating sterilizing method
with heated steam or the like is carried out and, in case the
active ingredient is subject to degredation by heating, an aseptic
manipulation is rarely adopted.
The present inventors have already discovered a novel sterilizing
method comprising irradiating a medicinal liquid in an injectable
solution sealed in an ampoule or any sealed container by means of
microwaves having a frequency of about 300 to 10,000 MHZ (German
Patent Publication No. 2,029,792). According to this method, the
medicinal liquid itself is instantaneously heated to a high
temperature with various resulting advantages. For instance the
medicinal liquid can be quickly and perfectly sterilized
simultaneously with the sterilizing action of the microwaves
themselves. Moreover, this method minimizes the decomposition of
active ingredient pyrogen which has been so far difficult to remove
is perfectly decomposed.
However, in this method, it has been experienced that, even if the
microwave irradiating condition and ampoule feeding condition are
well controlled in a constant condition, in case many ampoules are
to be sterilized continuously, some of them will be partially
heated and broken by unknown causes and, even in case ampoules are
irradiated with microwaves while they are being laterally rolled on
a belt conveyer, the temperature of the medicinal liquid in each
ampoule will be partially nonuniform.
The present invention is a method and apparatus for sterilizing
ampoules which obviates such difficulties. More specifically, the
present invention relates to irradiating microwaves while rotating
said ampoule as inclined properly so that the liquid may not enter
the branch part of the ampoule.
That is to say, according to present invention, by irradiating a
liquid-enclosing ampoule with microwaves of about 300 to 10,000 MHZ
for a short time while rotating said ampoule which is so inclined
that the liquid may not enter the branch part of the ampoule, the
liquid temperature difference between the respective parts in each
ampoule and between the respective ampoules can be minimized and
the contents in the liquid-enclosing ampoule can be effectively
sterilized without the above mentioned heretofore unsolved
difficulties.
In the sterilizing method of the present invention, the angle of
inclination of the ampoule may be more than 45.degree. relative to
vertical. In order that the liquid may not enter the branch part of
the ampoule, the angle of inclination should be less than about
75.degree. and preferably less than about 70.degree. to vertical
though this depends on the kind and capacity of the ampoule and the
content of the liquid. It has been confirmed by experiments made by
the present inventors that, within the above mentioned range, the
larger the angle of inclination, the larger the effect of agitating
the liquid in the ampoule by the rotation of the ampoule and the
more uniform the liquid temperature distribution in each ampoule.
From this viewpoint, the optimum condition is of an angle of
inclination of about 60.degree. to 70.degree. .
The number of revolutions of the ampoule may be properly determined
by the output of the irradiating microwaves and the irradiating
conditions. As in the later mentioned examples, it is desirable to
select said conditions so that the ampoule may make several
rotations during the irradiation with microwaves.
If the ampoule is irradiated with microwaves under such conditions
so that the temperature of the liquid in the ampoule may be about
130.degree.C., preferably 130.degree..+-.5.degree.C., it will be
possible to perfectly sterilize the liquid.
The main reason why a uniform definite sterilizing treatment is
possible with the present invention is presumed to be as follows
from research made by the present inventors.
An ampoule has a barrel part of a large diameter and a narrow
branch part. Liquid entering the branch part may not easily
extracted due to surface tension, even if the ampoule is inverted.
Therefore, if the ampoules are fed at random, the ampoules filled
with the liquid in the branch part and those not filled in the
branch parts will be present in an irregular mix.
Therefore, it is presumed that, if the ampoules in such random
condition are irradiated with microwaves, although the irradiating
time, output and ampoule conveying conditions are kept constant, it
is impossible to avoid an irregular temperature rise due to the
irregular absorption of microwaves in each ampoule which will cause
partial overheating in some ampoules and finally the fracture
thereof.
If the ampoule is irradiated with microwaves while in an upright
position, such unbalance of the effect of the absorption of
microwaves caused by the occasional entering of the liquid into the
branch part of the ampoule will be avoided. However, according to
the research made by the present inventors, it has been confirmed
that, in such case, the temperature of the liquid in the bottom
part of the ampoule will rise insufficiently and there will be
produced a large temperature difference between the upper and lower
parts of the liquid which will reach 15.degree.C. even if the
liquid is rotated in an ampoule of a small capacity or about
45.degree.C. under stationary conditions. Therefore, it can hardly
be adopted as a method of sterlizing ampoules.
Further, in the shape of an ampoule, there is usually a difference
of about 10 percent even in the cross-sectional area of the barrel
part. There is often a considerable fluctuation in the shape and
capacity of the fused part particularly at the tip of the branch
part and therefore, so long as such ordinary means of horizontally
mounting and conveying ampoules as a belt conveyer is used, even if
the internal liquid is forcibly agitated by irradiating the ampoule
with microwaves while laterally rolling said ampoule, the liquid
will enter the branch part and therefore the nonuniformity of the
effect of absorbing microwaves will be unavoidably caused by the
nonuniformity of the shape of the branch part.
On the other hand, in the method of the present invention, it is
presumed that, as a special ampoule conveying form of rotating
ampoules in an inclined position is used, the disadvantage of the
liquid entering into the branch part of the ampoule will be avoided
and the effect of a uniform temperature will be obtained by the
sufficient agitation of the internal liquid.
Further, in the above mentioned method, it has been found that, in
case an ampoule is sealed by fusing the tip of said ampoule and is
then immediately sterilized, the interior of the branch part of the
ampoule will have been sterilized by heating at the time of fusing
and therefore there will be no disadvantage although if the
interior of the branch part of the ampoule becomes wet due to the
tumbling of the ampoule while it is being conveyed or due to any
other cause after the sealing of said ampoule, the sterilization of
the interior of the branch part of the ampoule may occasionally be
imperfect (as shown by the later mentioned examples). In such case,
the liquid in the ampoule may be heated by irradiating the ampoule
with microwaves for a short time by the above mentioned method and
the interior of the branch part of the ampoule may be heated with
the conduction heat from the heated liquid by filling the interior
of the branch part of the ampoule with said internal hot liquid.
Thereby, not only the liquid temperature difference between the
respective parts of each ampoule but also the internal liquid
temperature difference between the respective ampoules can be
minimized and the interior of the liquid-enclosing ampoule can be
effectively sterilized.
Such liquid-enclosing ampoule is irradiated with microwaves by
being passed through a heating chamber, for example, a wave guide
in which microwaves are being radiated.
As a means of conveying liquid-enclosing ampoules while rotating
them inclined at the above mentioned angle, there can be utilized,
for example, an ampoule conveying or supporting means comprising a
conveyer belt, ampoule guiding rail guide inclined by any desired
angle and an ampoule drop preventing supporter provided in a
position corresponding to the bottom part of the ampoule, a means
of pressing the peripheries of each ampoule toward the ampoule
advancing direction on said ampoule conveying or supporting means,
a means of pulling ampoules in the advancing direction by utilizing
the friction with the side of the ampoule or a system of conveying
ampoules by properly combining any of these means with a means of
pulling ampoules in a direction reverse to the advancing direction.
There can be also adopted an ampoule conveying system including a
combination of a columnar or cylindrical conveying means such as a
screw conveying means having a spirally formed groove on the outer
peripheral part with an ampoule supporting guide which can support
inclined ampoules.
As a means of filling the branch part of an ampoule with an
internal liquid immediately after irradiating the liquid-enclosing
ampoule with microwaves, there can be utilized, for example, a
system wherein the ampoule is rolled and conveyed by enlarging the
angle of inclination of the ampoule by varying the ampoule
supporting angle of a conveyor belt, ampoule guiding guide, ampoule
guiding rail or an ampoule conveying or supporting means made by
properly combining them.
The invention will be further explained by referring the
accompanying drawings wherein:
FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-section of a main part of an apparatus
embodying the present invention,
FIG. 2 is a schematic side view of FIG. 1,
FIG. 3 and FIG. 4 each is a schematic perspective view showing an
ampoule conveying means and a mechanism for adjusting the angle of
inclination of ampoules,
FIG. 5 (A), (B) and (C) show the successive positions of the
ampoule to be taken during the sterilization process of this
invention,
FIG. 6 is a schematic perspective view showing another embodiment
of mechanism for adjusting the angle of inclination of ampoules,
and
FIG. 7A, B and C each shows the discoloration of a thermopaint
applied on the ampoule surface.
The present invention shall be explained in detail with reference
to the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 to FIG. 5. In FIG. 1, 1a and 1b
are rectangular wave guides connected at one end with respectively
independent microwave sources 2a and 2b or common microwave sources
and provided at the other end respectively with microwave absorbers
3a and 3b as water loads. In this case, a means of propagating
excess microwaves to the adjacent wave guide may be provided
instead of the microwave absorber 3a so that the loss of the
microwaves may be reduced. Further, the microwave energy may be
radiated to the respective wave guides in directions different from
each other or in the same direction. In the central parts of both
side walls in the lengthwise direction of said wave guide, narrow
long slots 4a and 4b (only 4a is shown in FIG. 2) are formed and
microwave attenuating means 5a, 5b, 5c and 5d for attenuating the
microwave leakage through said slots are provided.
FIGS. 3 and 4 show partly magnified views of a conveying means by
which ampoules 6a, 6b and 6c are rolled and conveyed and a
mechanism for adjusting the angle of inclination of the ampoules.
That is to say, in FIG. 3, the ampoule conveying means consists of
a conveyer supporter 7 and a conveyer 8 moving in the direction
indicated by the arrow on the supporter. Said conveyer 8 is
provided with pressing plates 9a and 9b which contact ampoules on
the sides to roll them and drop preventing supporters 10a and 10b
for preventing the ampoules from falling off the conveyor.
An ampoule holding part 11a or 11b, a space a little larger than
the diameter of the barrel part of an ampoule, is provided between
the adjacent pressing plates (for example, 9a and 9b ) so that,
when the conveyer 8 is moved in the direction indicated by the
arrow by a proper driving means (not illustrated), the ampoule fed
into said ampoule holding part may be continuously fed into the
above mentioned wave guides 1a and 1b through the slots 4a and 4b
(only 4a is shown in FIG. 2) while being laterally rolled by the
friction between the side of the ampoule and the conveyer supporter
7. In the respective wave guides, microwave energy is radiated from
independent microwave sources or common microwave sources so that
the ampoules fed by the above mentioned ampoule conveying means may
be successively irradiated with microwaves.
FIG. 4 shows another example of an ampoule conveying means wherein
ampoules are laterally rolled and conveyed by a slotted belt
conveyer 8 having slots 16a and 16b and a conveyer supporter 7.
Said slotted belt conveyer 8 is provided with ampoule drop
preventing supporters 10a, 10b, and pressing means 9a, 9b, for
pressing the peripheries of each ampoule to roll them in the same
manner as in the means shown in FIG. 3. THe slotted belt conveyer 8
continuously conveys and passes ampoules 6a, 6b, through the above
mentioned wave guides through the slots 4a and 4b by a proper
driving means (not illustrated) so that the ampoules may be fed
into the wave guides 1a, 1b, while being laterally rolled by the
friction between the peripheries of the ampoule and the conveyer
supporter 7. In such case, if the conveyer supporter 7 is
continuously moved in a direction opposite to the advancing
direction, the number of revolutions of the ampoule will be able to
increased so that the temperature of the liquid in the ampoule may
be more uniform. In the respective wave guides, microwave energy is
radiated from independent microwave sources or common microwave
sources so that the ampoules fed by the slotted belt conveyer 8 may
be successively irradiated with microwaves.
Thus, when the ampoules pass through the respective wave guides,
they will absorb the microwave energy and will be elevated in
temperature. When they have passed through all the wave guides,
they will have been heated to a fixed temperature. If microwave
absorbers 3a and 3b are provided in the end parts of said wave
guides, excess microwaves will be absorbed so that the ampoules
passing through the other wave guides may be prevented from being
overheated and broken by absorbing more than a fixed amount of
microwave energy.
The ampoules conveyed by the means shown in FIG. 3 or 4 and heated
in the wave guides are then fed to the mechanism for adjusting the
angle of inclination of ampoules shown on the left side of FIG. 3.
Said ampoule inclination angle adjusting mechanism is provided with
an ampoule lower part guiding rod 12 for pushing up the bottom of
each ampoules toward the vertical directions, a cut part 13
provided in a part of the conveyer supporter 7 to lower the tip
part of the branch of each ampoules and an ampoule branch part
supporting rod 14 provided in said cut part 13. When ampoules are
continuously fed onto this ampoule inclination angle adjusting
mechanism by the above mentioned conveying means, the lower part of
the barrel of the ampoule will be vertically pushed up by the
ampoule lower part guiding rod 12 and the tip of the branch part of
the ampoule will at the same time be lowered below the plane of the
conveyer supporter 7 so that the hot liquid in the ampoule may
quickly flow into the branch part of the ampoule under gravity to
fill said branch part.
The ampoule interior sterilizing process in such case is steppedly
shown according to the variation of the inclination angle of the
ampoule in FIG. 5. That is to say, in FIG. 5, (A) shows the ampoule
fed into the wave guide by the above mentioned conveying means in
position for being irradiated with microwaves, (B) shows the
ampoule adjusted in the angle of inclination by the above mentioned
inclination angle adjusting mechanism immediately after the
irradiation with microwaves and where the branch part is filled
with the hot liquid in the and (C) shows the ampoule as returned to
said angle of inclination after the adjustment of the inclination
of the ampoule.
By the way, such mechanism as is shown in the partly magnified view
in FIG. 6 may be used as a mechanism for adjusting the angle of
inclination of ampoules. That is to say, the inclination angle
adjusting mechanism shown in FIG. 6 is of a structure wherein a
recess 15 in the form of a gentle slope provided in a part of the
conveyer supporter 7 and the same guide rod 12 as is mentioned
above is provided in a position in which the lower side of the
barrel of the ampoule contacts said recess. Even by using an
inclination angle adjusting mechanism of such structure, the hot
liquid can be also made to flow into the branch part of the
ampoule.
In the sterilizing apparatus of the present invention, ampoules can
be passed through a heating chamber or wave guide in which
microwaves are being radiated while being rotated as inclined so
that the internal liquid may not enter the branch part of the
ampoule but may be well agitated in the ampoule when irradiated
with microwaves, therefore a uniform microwave absorbing effect can
be obtained in each ampoule and the ampoule can be perfectly
sterilized without bursting. Further, by using the means in FIG. 3
or 6, the branch part of the ampoule can be filled with the
internal hot liquid by enlarging the angle of inclination of the
ampoule immediately after the ampoule is irradiated with
microwaves. Therefore, even the imperfectly sterilized interior of
the branch part of the ampoule can be sterilized with the hot
liquid and thus the interior of the ampoule can be perfectly and
positively sterilized.
EXPERIMENT 1
Colorless transparent glass ampoules each enclosing 2 ml. of a
physiological salt solution were prepared and were painted on the
surfaces with a thermopaint which discolors at 110.degree. or
140.degree.C. These ampoules were continuously passed at a
conveying velocity of 1.2 m. per minute through a wave guide in
which microwaves of an output of 1.3 or 1.5 KW are generated (the
ampoules remained in the wave guide 12 seconds/ampoule and 80
ampoules/min.) while being rotated (at 30 rpm) as inclined by
70.degree., 60.degree. or 45.degree. relative to the vertical by
using the apparatus shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 (when the conveying
means shown in FIG. 4 was used, the residual energy of the
microwaves radiated from 2a was propagated by the part 3a, was
again radiated from 2b toward 3b and was repeatedly propagated in
turn in the same manner so that the ampoule might be irradiated
four times in all and the residual energy passing through the last
wave guide might be absorbed by a waterloaded absorber at the
terminal). The temperature distribution of the entire liquid in the
ampoule and the temperature on the surface of the liquid in the
ampoule were measured by the degree of the discoloration of the
thermopaint and with a surface thermometer. On the other hand, the
same ampoules were irradiated with microwaves without being rotated
by using a slotless belt conveyer under the same conditions. The
results were as shown in Table 1 and FIG. 7. It is shown that, in
case the ampoules were not rotated, the temperature of the bottom
part of the ampoule was low but the surface of the medicinal liquid
in the ampoule was at a moderately high temperature and the
temperature of the liquid in the ampoule was nonuniform. On the
other hand, it is shown that, in case the ampoules were rotated
when inclined, the entire medicinal liquid in the ampoule was
uniformly heated. In FIG. 7 the hatched part indicates that there
was no discoloration of the thermopaint. The data for FIG. 7 are as
follows: FIG. 7-A Not rotated, Microwave output 1.3 KW, Thermopaint
110.degree.C., Liquid surface temperature 132-133.degree.C. FIG.
7-B Not rotated, Microwave output 1.5 KW, Thermopaint
140.degree.C., Liquid surface temperature 145-146.degree.C. FIG.
7-C Rotated, Microwave output 1.3 KW, Thermopaint 110.degree.C.,
Liquid surface temperature 125-127.degree.C.
Table 1
__________________________________________________________________________
Thermopaint Angle of Liquid discoloring Output inclination of
surface Thermopaint discoloration temperature (KW) the ampoule
temperature (.degree.C.) (Degrees) (.degree.C.)
__________________________________________________________________________
70 FIG. 7A (below 110.degree.C. in the 110 1.3 60 132 - 133 bottom
part of the ampoule) Not 45 rotated 70 FIG. 7B (below 140.degree.C.
in the 140 1.5 60 145 - 146 bottom part of the ampoule) 45 70
Uniformly discolored (above 110 1.3 60 125 - 127 110.degree.C. in
the entire ampoule) 45 FIG. 7C (below 110.degree.C. in the bottom
part of the ampoule) Rotated 70 Uniformly discolored (above 110 1.5
60 132 - 133 110.degree.C. in the entire ampoule) 45
__________________________________________________________________________
EXPERIMENT 2
Two groups of 2 ml.-capacity colorless transparent glass ampoules
each enclosing 2 ml. of a physiological salt solution were used. In
one group, the difference in the shape of the ampoule particularly
in the capacity of the branch part was quite small. In the other
group, no such selection was made. By using the same apparatus as
in Experiment 1, each ampoule was heated to an average of
120.degree.C. by being continuously passed at a conveying velocity
of 1.2 m. per minute through a wave guide in which microwaves of an
output of 1.5 KW were being radiated while the ampoule was
laterally rolled (at 30 rpm) while horizontal (the ampoules
remained in the wave guide 12 seconds/ampoule and 80
ampoules/minute). The temperature in the central part of the
surface of the medicinal liquid in each ampoule was measured with a
surface thermometer. As a result, it was found that, in the tested
group in which the shapes of the respective ampoules were uniform,
the fluctuation of the liquid surface temperature was small (about
.+-.2.degree. to 3.degree.C.) but that, in the group of the random
samples, the liquid surface temperature difference in each ampoule
was considerable (reaching .+-.7.degree. to 8.degree.C.) and the
influence of the nonuniform shape each ampoule, particularly of the
difference in the capacity of the branch part was large.
EXPERIMENT 3
A bacterial body of bacillus Subtilis PCl-219 was suspended in a
phosphoric acid buffer solution (of a pH of 7.2) consisting of an
aqueous solution of 1.77 percent potassium phosphate and an aqueous
solution of 3.56 percent sodium phosphate. The suspension was
enclosed in a 2 ml. capacity colorless transparent ampoule. Before
heating, the ampoule was inverted to wet the interior of the branch
part of the ampoule to be tested. By using the apparatus shown in
FIGS. 1 and 2 (wherein the conveying means shown in FIG. 3 was
used), the above mentioned ampoules to be tested were inclined by
70.degree. and were continuously passed at a conveying velocity of
0.99 m. per minute through a wave guide in which microwaves of an
output of 1.67 or 1.88 KW were being radiated (the ampoule remained
in the wave guide 14.5 seconds/ampoule and 33 ampoules/minute)
while being rotated (at 25 rpm) and were then immediately inverted
so that the branch part of each ampoule might be filled with the
hot liquid for 3 seconds as a treated group. Alternatively, the
same ampoules were merely irradiated with microwaves under the same
conditions except the above prewetting treatment, as a control
group. The sterilizing effects in the ampoules of the treated group
and control group were investigated by the sterility testing method
of the Japanese Pharmacopoeia. The results were as shown in Table
2. (In the table, (-) represents a pass in the sterility test and
(+) represents a failure in the sterility test. Further, in the
table, the temperature of the liquid in the ampoule was measured
after the ampoule was inverted immediately after it was irradiated
with microwaves in the treated group, and was measured immediately
after the ampoule was irradiated with microwaves in the control
group.)
Table 2 ______________________________________ Temperature
Experiment Output Sterility of the liquid No. (KW) test in the
ampoule (.degree.C.) ______________________________________ 1 - 2 -
3 1.67 - 121 - 122 4 - Treated 5 - group 6 - 7 - 8 1.88 - 132 - 133
9 - 10 - 11 + 12 + 13 1.67 + 121.5 - 122 14 + Control 15 + group 16
+ 17 + 18 1.88 + 135 - 137 19 + 20 +
______________________________________
EXAMPLE 1
Colorless transparent glass ampoules each filled with 2 ml. of a
physiological salt solution were continuously passed at a conveying
velocity of 1.2 m. per minute through a wave guide in which
microwaves of an output of 1.3 KW were being radiated (the ampoules
remained in the wave guide 12 seconds/ampoule and 80
ampoules/minute) while being laterally rolled (at 30 rpm) as
inclined by 70.degree. to the vertical with the same apparatus as
in Experiment 1. The temperature reached in the solution in each
ampoule due to the irradiation with microwaves was within the range
of 122.5.degree. .+-. 2.5.degree.C. and no ampoule was broken. All
the ampoules passed the sterility test defined by the Japanese
Pharmacopoeia.
EXAMPLE 2
Injectable distilled water preparation was prepared by the same
treatment as in Example 1 but substituting 3 ml. of distilled water
for 2 ml. of the physiological salt solution in Example 1. The
temperature reached in the medicinal liquid in each ampoule and the
sterility test results in this example were within exactly the same
ranges as in the preceding example.
EXAMPLE 3
An injectable preparation was prepared by the same treatment as in
Example 1 except that an aqueous solution of 1.0 percent sodium
carbazochromesulfonate was substituted for the physiological salt
solution and the output of microwaves was 1.5 KW.
The temperature reached in the medicinal liquid in each ampoule in
this example was within the range of 120.degree. .+-. 3.degree.C.
and no ampoule was broken. All the ampoules passed the sterility
test the same as in Example 1.
EXAMPLE 4
Colorless transparent glass ampoules each filled with 2 ml. of a
physiological salt solution for injection were continuously passed
at a conveying velocity of 1.2 m. per minute through a wave guide
in which microwaves of an output of 1.3 KW were being radiated (the
ampoules remained in the wave guide 12 seconds/ampoule and 80
ampoules/minute) while being laterally rolled (at 30 rpm) and
inclined by 70.degree. to the vertical with the same apparatus as
in Experiment 3. Then the ampoules were adjusted to an angle of
inclination of 100.degree. by using the ampoule inclination angle
adjusting mechanism shown in FIG. 3 and were filled with the hot
liquid in the branch parts for 3 seconds.
The temperature reached in the medicinal liquid in each ampoule due
to the irradiation with microwaves was within the range of
122.5.degree. .+-. 2.5.degree.C. and no ampoule was broken. All the
ampoules passed the sterility test defined by the Japanese
Pharmacopoeia.
EXAMPLE 5
Injectable distilled water preparation was prepared by the same
treatment as in Example 4, but substituting 3 ml. of distilled
water for 2 ml. of the physiological salt solution in Example 4.
The temperature reached in the medicinal liquid in each ampoule and
the sterility test results in this example were within exactly the
same ranges as in the preceding example.
EXAMPLE 6
An injectable preparation was prepared by the same treatment as in
Example 4 except that an aqueous solution of 1.0 percent sodium
carbazochromesulfonate was substituted for the physiological salt
solution in Example 4 and the microwave output was 1.5 KW.
The temperature reached in the medicinal liquid in each ampoule in
this example was within the range of 123.degree. .+-. 3.degree.C.
and no ampoule was broken. All the ampoules passed the sterility
test the same as in Example 4.
* * * * *