Volume control system for liquid packaging apparatus

Abstract

A liquid filling device wherein an arcuate carrier is provided with track means carrying an intermediate region of tubing having its opposite ends communicating respectively with a liquid source and outlet container, and a tubing guide is selectively positionable along the track means for determining the length of intermediate tubing region extending along the track means, whereby roller means is movable to displace a predetermined volume of liquid through the tubing.

Parent Case Text

CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation-in-part of our copending patent application Ser. No. 287,988, filed Sept. 11, 1972 entitled LIQUID PACKAGING APPARATUS, issued Apr. 30, 1974 as U.S. Pat. No. 3,807,131.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

While the apparatus of the present invention has been primarily developed and employed for use in the packaging of hypodermic syringes, it is appreciated that the instant volume control system for liquid packaging is capable of many varied applications, all of which are intended to be comprehended herein.

While the metering or volume control apparatus of the above-mentioned parent patent application has been found to operate satisfactorily, certain difficulty has been experienced in the adjustment of volumetric dispensing, and certain structural features of the volume control system have been found relatively complex in manufacture, assembly and use.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is therefore an important object of the present invention to provide a volume control system for liquid packaging apparatus which overcomes the above-mentioned difficulties, is extremely simple, quick and efficient in accurate and precise adjustment of volumetric dispensing, and change thereof, as desired, and wherein uniquely simple, staunch and durable structure is provided for a long and highly reliable useful life.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a volumetric control system of the type described which is adapted to be accurately and precisely controlled, utilizing inexpensive and disposable materials, and which may be conveniently set up and operated by persons without special skills or training.

Other objects of the present invention will become apparent upon reading the following specification and referring to the accompanying drawings, which form a material part of this disclosure.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combinations of elements, and arrangements of parts, which will be exemplified in the construction hereinafter described, and of which the scope will be indicated by the appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a partial front elevational view showing a volume control system of the present invention in an operative condition of use.

FIG. 2 is a sectional elevational view taken generally along the line 2--2 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a sectional elevational view taken generally along the line 3--3 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a partial sectional view taken generally along the line 4--4 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view taken generally along the line 5--5 of FIG. 4.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, and specifically to FIG. 1 thereof, the volume control system of the present invention is there generally designated 10 and includes a support structure 11. The support structure 11 may be fabricated as desired, say to include an upstanding front wall 12 suitably mounted or fixed (by means not shown) to support or mount the motor control system of the instant invention.

More specifically, there is mounted on the support means, plate or wall 12, in generally parallel, forwardly spaced relation with respect thereto, a carrier member 15 in the nature of a generally flat disc having an arcuate or circular outline configuration or peripheral edge 16. The carrier member or disc 15 is fixedly mounted in position spaced forwardly of the support member or wall 12, as by spacer members 17 interposed between the disc and wall, and tie means or fasteners 18 extending through the spacers and fixedly securing the carrier member to the support wall. Extending about the periphery 16 of the circular or arcuately configured carrier 15 may be an annular peripheral groove 20, defining track means for receiving tubing, as will appear presently in greater detail.

A central or concentric through opening or hole 21 may be formed in the carrier 15, and a tubular bearing or journal 22 may be provided in the hole 21, extending rearwardly therefrom through an opening rearwardly beyond or on the back side of the support wall 12. Suitable drive means, such as a single revolution motor or clutch 23 may be fixed to the support member or wall 12, rearwardly thereof, as by fastener means 24. A drive shaft 25 may extend from the drive means 23 rotatably through the journal bearing 22 forwardly beyond the carrier 15. On the forward end of the drive shaft 25 may be provided a radial extension member, crank or arm 26 having its free, outer or distal end region 27 beyond the circumference 16 and track 20 of carrier 15. Carried at the outer end region 27 of the rotative arm 26, is roller means 28, say in the form of a roller or wheel located inwardly or rearwardly of the arm end region 27, generally coplanar with and adjacent to the annular track means 20. In this position generally coplanar with the carrier 15, and approximately tangent to the latter, the roller 28 is provided with a shaft 29 generally parallel to the drive shaft 25 and carried by the arm end region 27 to mount the roller for rotation about the axis of shaft 29, and eccentric rotation with the arm 26 about the axis of shaft 25. The roller 28, thus upon rotation of arm 26, is adapted to effectively roll in tangential relation with the carrier 15 along the track means 20, as will appear presently in greater detail.

As noted hereinbefore, the track carrier or disc 15 is located in spaced relation forwardly of the support wall 12, so as to define therebetween a space 30. Generally coplanar with the space 30, so as to be inwardly or rearwardly of the plane of annular track 20, there is provided a tubing guide, deflector or diverter 35. The tube guide or deflector 35 may constitute a generally circular member or knob 36 having an outwardly facing peripheral guide track or groove 37 located in the plane of space 30. The tube guide member 35 is located adjacent to the carrier 15, being approximately tangent to the latter, but offset therefrom into the plane of space 30, being suitably secured to the support wall 12, as by fastener means 38. As best seen in FIG. 1, the tubing guide member 35 is located approximately to one side of the circular tubing carrier 15, say about three o'clock with respect to the circular carrier.

Additionally, there is provided a tubing guide 40, which may also be a generally circular member or knob 41 having a peripheral outwardly facing tubing track or groove 42, and is also located generally in the plane of space 30 between support wall 12 and carrier 15. Further, the tubing guide 40 may be adjcent to but spaced below the tubing guide 35, also suitably mounted on the support wall 12, as by mounting means or fastener 43.

A tubing guide arm is generally designated 45, and lies primarily in the space 30, including an inner or hub region 46 surrounding and rotatably receiving the journal bearing 22. The arm 45 extends thence radially outwardly to an outer end region 47 beyond the periphery 16 of carrier 15. As thus far described, the guide arm 45 lies generally in the plane of space 30, and of tubing guide members 35 and 40. However, as noted hereinbefore the tubing guide member 35 lies at approximately 3 o'clock with respect to the disc-shaped carrier 15, while the tubing guide member 40 lies at approximately 4 o'clock with respect to the carrier, and the tubing guide arm 45 is rotatable throughout a substantial angle.

At the outer end region 27 of the swingable or rotative guide arm 45, there is provided a transverse enlargement or head 48 extending forwardly generally into the plane of tubing carrier 15 and located outwardly beyond the carrier periphery 16. That is, the radially inner surface 49 of the tubing guide arm head 48 is located in outwardly spaced facing relation with the radially inner region of carrier periphery 16. The space between the carrier periphery 16 and guide arm head 48 may be seen in FIG. 1, there being designated 50. In addition, a pair of elongate member or pins 51 and 52 are carried by the transverse arm head 48, being generally coplanar with each other in a plane just inward or rearward of the carrier track 20. That is, the pins 51 and 52 are located in angularly spaced relation along the track 20, just inward or rearward thereof, and each extends from the guide arm head 48 radially inwardly across the space 50 toward and terminating proximate to the peripheral surface 16 of the disc-shaped carrier 15. One of the pins 51 may be carried by the guide arm head 48 and yieldably spring biased radially inwardly therefrom, terminating just short of the peripheral carrier surface 16 for free movement therealong upon guide arm rotation. The other pin, say pin 52 may be adjustable, say by screw threads 53 for movement into and out of firm holding engagement with the carrier periphery 16. In this manner, the guide arm 45 is selectively swingable about the axis of shaft 25, as described hereinbefore, and is adjustably positionable at any selected location along its path of swinging movement by releasable, radial inward extension of pin 52 into holding engagement with the carrier periphery 16. It will now be appreciated that there is an opening or passageway 54 defined in the space 50 between the pins 51 and 52, and the carrier periphery 16 and head inner surface 49, for a purpose appearing presently.

A resiliently flexible tubing or length of tube 55 has one end region 56 communicating with a fluid source, such as liquid pharmaceutical to be metered. The tubing 55 may extend from the fluid source, being suitably guided and held, for passage beneath and upwardly, partially along the tube guide 35 within guideway or track 37 to a tubing region 57. From the fluid source to the tubing region 57, the tubing portion 56 may lie generally in the plane of space 30 and tube guide 35, closely adjacent to the front of support wall 12. At the tubing region 57, the tubing is deflected, diverted or displaced transversely forwardly, as by suitable formation of the tube track 37 of guide 35, or other suitable means, and extends thence in an arcuate, generally planar configuration, as at 58, along the arcuate periphery 16 of carrier 15, within the adjacent portion of track means 20. The arcuate intermediate tubing portion 58 thus lies in the plane of carrier 15, and is similarly spaced outwardly from the support wall 12 upon its extension between tubing guide 35 and guide arm 45. In particular, the arcuate intermediate tubing region 58 extends to a tubing portion 49 which is diverted or deflected transversely inwardly out of the track 20 toward support wall 12 into the plane of space 30. The transversely deflected portion 59 passes inwardly or rearwardly through the passageway 54 between guide pins 51 and 52, and the carrier 15 and guide arm head 48. From the inwardly or rearwardly diverted tubing portion 59, the tubing extends, as at 60, in the plane of space 30 and tubing guide 40 to pass over and downwardly along the latter within its track 42. From the tubing portion 60, past the tubing guide 40, there extends a tubing outlet portion 61 toward a container, such as a hypodermic needle, or other, for receiving a metered amount of fluid.

It will now be understood that the intermediate portion 58 of tubing 55 between transversely extending or offsetting portions 57 and 59 lie in the plane of carrier 15 along its track 20, and as so positioned is squeezed and closed by rolling engagement therewith of roller 28. Thus, upon each complete rotation of roller arm 26, identical amount of fluid is displaced through the tubing 55 corresponding to the volume of intermediate, metering tubing portion 58 which is compressed. This volume is quickly and easily adjusted by mere rotation of pin 52 to disengage the latter from carrier periphery 16, permitting rotative adjustment of the guide arm 45 about its axis 25 to a selected position, whereupon the pin 52 is retightened to function in the manner of a set screw to maintain the selected angular positioning of guide arm 45. To facilitate volume adjustment, the pin 51 may be resiliently retracted radially outwardly to permit passing tubing laterally across the path of pin 51. Of course, suitable calibration may be provided, as by indicia, say on the face of support wall 12 to indicate desired location of the guide arm 45 corresponding to a required volumetric displacement.

From the foregoing, it is seen that the present invention provides a volume control system for liquid packaging apparatus which is extremely simple in structure, durable and reliable in operation, capable of sterile metering, and which permits of quick and easy selective adjustment to obtain any desired volumetric displacement, and which otherwise fully accomplishes its intended objects.

Although the present invention has been described in some detail by way of illustration and example for purposes of clarity of understanding, it is understood that certain changes and modifications may be made within the spirit of the invention.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. Liquid packaging apparatus comprising support means, a tubing carrier on said support means, generally planar track means extending along said carrier, resilient flexible tubing having an intermediate region extending along and in the plane of said track means, the remainder of said tubing being out of said track means plane, tubing guide means for varying the length of said intermediate tubing region in said plane along said track means, one end of said tubing extending to fluid communication with a source of fluid to be packaged and the other end of said tubing extending to fluid communication with a packaging container, and roller means mounted for movement in the plane of and along said track means in rolling engagement with said intermediate region of tubing to displace a quantity of liquid to the container.

2. Liquid packaging apparatus according to claim 1, said track means being generally arcuate and fixed relative to said support, said guide means being selectively positionable along said track means, and said roller means being mounted for movement along said arcuate track means independently of the position of said guide means.

3. Liquid packaging apparatus according to claim 2, said track means extending externally about the periphery of said carrier, said guide means defining a passageway communicating with said track for leading tubing out of the plane of said track at any selected position along the latter.

4. Liquid packaging apparatus according to claim 3, said roller means being mounted for eccentric rotation in said rolling engagement in the plane of said track generally externally tangential thereto.

5. Liquid packaging apparatus according to claim 1, said track means being of generally convex arcuate configuration, and said roller means comprising an arm swingable about the center of curvature of said arcuate configuration, and a roller carried by said arm at a radius greater than that of said curvature.

6. Liquid packaging apparatus according to claim 5, said tubing guide means comprising a guide arm pivoted about said center of curvature, and a tubing receiver on said guide arm slidably receiving said tubing and guiding the latter transversely of said track out of the track plane.

7. Liquid packaging apparatus according to claim 6, in combination with releasable securing means for securing said tubing receiver at any selected position of its arcuate movement.

8. Liquid packaging apparatus according to claim 7, said tubing receiver comprising a pair of guide elements spaced along said track and defining a passageway therebetween opening transversely of said track for slidably receiving a portion of said tubing extending transversely of said track upon pivotal movement of said guide arm.