The present invention relates to an assembly for sterilizing and depyrogenating containers.

Sterilization here means any process designed to ensure an extreme reduction in the microorganisms (up to their total elimination) present in the containers: generally a container is said to be "sterile" if the probability of finding a microorganism is less than one in a million.

Depyrogenation here means the removal of pyrogens from a material, more specifically from injectable pharmaceutical products. In this case the term is extended to the container in which the medicines will be placed. A pyrogen is any substance that can cause fever in a patient: the term therefore specifically includes bacteria (in particular endotoxins and exotoxins).

The containers that will undergo sterilization and depyrogenation treatment inside the assembly according to the invention will preferably be bottles, test tubes, syringes, carpules, phials, jars and the like. The possibility is not ruled out however of using the assembly according to the invention for the sterilization and depyrogenation (or optionally only for one of the two treatments) of containers of other kinds.

Conventional sterilization and depyrogenation devices comprise a feeding station (by way of which the containers are introduced on an internal conveyor), a sterilization and/or depyrogenation station (corresponding to the superheating of an internal chamber in which the containers are located) and a cooling station (necessary for reducing the temperature of the containers to ranges that permit the introduction of medicines into them without causing any damage or degradation thereof).

If the operation of a conventional device needs to be interrupted for maintenance, all the containers that have already passed through the sterilization and/or depyrogenation station (more specifically those that are located in the cooling station) may come into contact with external agents (for example if an operator has to intervene on the device by removing the housings and accessing the internal conveyor).

Similarly, even if maintenance is carried out while the device is not in service (and therefore does not contain any containers) it is still necessary to have a step of sterilization of the cooling station in order to prevent the products that exit from the sterilization station from undergoing a subsequent contamination in the cooling station.

The use therefore is known of technical solutions that allow the superheating of the cooling station as well, in order to obtain a self- sterilization thereof.

This implementation architecture is however particularly costly and therefore it is not universally used: in some cases a cheaper device is preferred in which the cooling station cannot be superheated, and in which any maintenance operations require different sterilization protocols from those described (protocols that are more complex than the simple self- sterilization described, but which do not have repercussions on the purchase cost of the device itself).

It is therefore evident that there can be two different implementation solutions of sterilization and depyrogenation devices: a first possible implementation has a cooling station provided with means for its superheating (for use for extraordinary sterilization operations as a consequence of maintenance and the like), and a second possible implementation has a cooling station with no means for its superheating.

These two solutions require producers to provide families of different devices, thus increasing the costs of production and the costs of storing raw materials, semi-finished products, and the finished devices.

The aim of the present invention is to solve the above mentioned drawbacks, by providing an assembly for sterilizing and depyrogenating containers which is versatile.

Within this aim, an object of the invention is to provide an assembly for sterilizing and depyrogenating containers with low costs of storing the raw materials and the semi-finished products necessary for building it, as well as the assemblies proper, and in any case lower than the costs of conventional devices.

Another object of the invention is to provide an assembly for sterilizing and depyrogenating containers with characteristics that are structurally and functionally different with respect to those of conventional devices.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an assembly for sterilizing and depyrogenating containers which is low cost, easily and practically implemented, and safely applied.

This aim and these and other objects which will become better apparent hereinafter, are achieved by an assembly for sterilizing and depyrogenating containers according to claim 1.

Further characteristics and advantages of the invention will become better apparent from the detailed description that follows of preferred, but not exclusive, embodiments of the assembly for sterilizing and depyrogenating containers according to the invention, illustrated by way of non-limiting example in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a cross-sectional front elevation view, taken along a vertical longitudinal plane, of a possible embodiment of an assembly for sterilizing and depyrogenating containers according to the invention;

Figure 2 is a cross-sectional side view, taken along a vertical transverse plane, of the assembly in Figure 1 ;

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the internal part of the air treatment module of the assembly in Figure 1 ;

Figure 4 is a cross-sectional front elevation view, taken along a vertical longitudinal plane, of an alternative embodiment of an assembly for sterilizing and depyrogenating containers according to the invention;

Figure 5 is a cross-sectional side view, taken along a vertical transverse plane, of the assembly in Figure 4;

Figure 6 is a perspective view of the internal part of the air treatment module of the assembly in Figure 4.

With reference to the figures, the reference numeral 1 generally designates an assembly for sterilizing and depyrogenating containers A.

The assembly 1 according to the invention comprises a feeding station 2 (through which the containers A enter the assembly 1 in order to undergo the process of sterilization and depyrogenation), a heating station 3 (inside which the containers A are subjected to high temperatures, thus undergoing the process of sterilization and depyrogenation) and a cooling station 4 (inside which the temperature of the containers A is reduced to a value that makes them suitable for containing a pharmaceutical substance or, in any case, a substance that is thermolabile).

The three stations 2, 3 and 4 listed previously are passed through by a conveyor 5, which is designed to transfer the containers A from an entry opening 6 present in the feeding station 2 to an exit opening 7 present in the cooling station 4.

With reference to the embodiment shown in the accompanying figures, the conveyor 5 can preferably comprise a conveyor belt (in particular of the belt type; the belt can be actuated by way of a specific motorized gearwheel 8 and kept under tension by way of opportune idle gearwheels 9).

According to the invention, the cooling station 4 can positively comprise a main unit 10 which is coupled without discontinuities to the heating station 3 and at least one interchangeable air treatment module 11 , 12.

The main unit 10 comprises at least one inlet aperture 13, which is connected without interruptions to an air diffuser 14 arranged above at least a portion of the conveyor 5, and at least one outlet port 15.

Each individual module 11, 12 comprises at least one supply hose 16, 17 (in the accompanying figures the supply hose 16 belongs to the module 11 and the supply hose 17 belongs to the module 12), with shape and dimensions complementary to those of the at least one opening 13, for detachable coupling thereto, and at least one suction channel 18, 19 (in the accompanying figures the suction channel 18 belongs to the module 11 and the suction channel 19 belongs to the module 12), with shape and dimensions complementary to those of the at least one outlet port 15, for detachable coupling thereto.

The presence of the supply hoses 16 and 17 and the presence of the suction channels 18 and 19 enable an easy detachable coupling of the respective modules 11 and 12 to the main unit 10.

In practice it is possible to separate a module 11 from the main unit 10 and substitute it with another identical module, or with a different module 12, without having to carry out specific cabling operations, since the shape structure of the modules 11 and 12 is such as to make their juxtaposition with the main unit 10 sufficient.

In other words, the supply hoses 16 and 17 and the suction channels

18 and 19 of the modules 11 and 12 have connection ends arranged in the same positions corresponding to the inlet aperture 13 and to the outlet port 15 of the main unit 10 to which they are respectively to be connected.

With reference to an embodiment of undoubted practical and applicative interest, each module 11, 12 comprises a hollow box-like body 20, 21 which defines an inner air conveyance circuit provided with a suction channel 18, 19, which is outwardly open and can be detachably coupled to a respective outlet port 15 of a main unit 10, and with a supply hose 16, 17, which is outwardly open and can be detachably coupled to an inlet aperture 13 of the main unit 10.

The inner air conveyance circuit of each module 11 and 12 will be intercepted by a radiator 22 and by a fan 23, 24.

With reference to an embodiment that enables the sterilization of the chamber defined inside the main unit 10 (for example following a maintenance intervention), at least one module 12 can conveniently comprise, along its inner air conveyance circuit, at least one heating device 25.

The air, circulating inside the inner air conveyance circuit, flows over the heating device 25 and undergoes an increase in temperature up to a predefined value.

In this manner a high-temperature air flow can exit from the module 12, arrive at the diffuser 14 and strike the chamber defined inside the main unit 10.

With reference to an embodiment that is particularly versatile and efficient, there can be two modules 11 and 12, separate and alternatively coupled to the main unit 10.

A first module 11 comprises an inner air conveyance circuit that is intercepted exclusively by a radiator 22 and by a fan 23.

A second module 12 comprises an inner air conveyance circuit that is intercepted by a radiator 22, by a heating device 25 and by a fan 24.

The simple interchangeability of the two modules 11 and 12 makes it possible to use a device constituted by the feeding station 2, by the heating station 3 and by the main unit 10 as a simple cooling station 4 or as a cooling station 4 adapted to also carry out extraordinary sterilization operations (for example necessary as a consequence of an external maintenance intervention).

In other words, the assembly 1 according to the invention comprises an air treatment module 11 , 12 chosen (as a function of the operations that need to be carried out on the containers A) from either the first air treatment module 11 , which comprises an inner air conveyance circuit intercepted by a radiator 22 and by a fan 23, or the second air treatment module 12, which comprises an inner air conveyance circuit intercepted by a radiator 22, by a heating device 25 and by a fan 24. It should be noted that the feeding station 2, the heating station 3 and the main unit 10 of the assembly 1 remain the same, whether the first module 11 or the second module 12 is used.

In the context of a more in-depth analysis relating to the implementation aspects of the present invention, each module 11 and 12 can profitably comprise an inlet channel 26 and an outlet channel 27 which lead to the radiator 22 for the circulation of a respective cooling fluid.

The cooling fluid can be water (optionally thermostatically- controlled), although the adoption is not ruled out of other cooling fluids optionally originating from a respective cooling assembly.

It should be noted that the heating device 25 can preferably be constituted by a heat exchanger, or an electric resistor in contact with the air in the inner conveyance circuit.

According to a first embodiment, the shaft 28 of the rotor of the fan of the first module 11 is rigidly coupled to the shaft of an electric motor arranged inside the box-like body 20 and connected to a respective electric power supply.

Since the temperature inside the box-like body 20 will in any case be kept below predefined threshold values, insofar as the module 11 only takes care of the cooling of the containers A arranged on the conveyor 5, it will be possible to accommodate the electric motor that actuates the fan 23 inside the box-like body 20 proper, with no risk of overheating the electric motor proper.

In such case the fan 23 will preferably have a horizontal axis (its shaft 28 will have a horizontal axis).

According to a form of execution with operation that is particularly stable and long-lasting over time, the shaft 29 of the rotor of the fan 24 of the second module 12 is rigidly coupled to the shaft of an electric motor 30 arranged outside the box-like body 21 and connected to a respective external electric power supply. In this case, high temperatures can be achieved inside the box-like body 21 of the module 12 (owing to the heating of the air performed by the heater 25). For this reason, it has been preferred to arrange the electric motor 30, designed to actuate the fan 24, outside the box-like body 21 in order to ensure that the electric motor 30 does not undergo excessive thermal stress.

It is useful to point out that the air diffuser 14 that is arranged above at least a portion of the conveyor 5 is substantially shaped like a hollow prismatic body.

Such a diffuser 14 has an upper base which is open and connected to the inlet aperture 13 of the main unit 10 by way of a respective pipe 31 , and a lower base that is also open and facing the conveyor 5.

Such a shape structure makes it possible to regulate the air stream that flows through the diffuser 14 thus making it, substantially, laminar.

It should furthermore be noted that the diffuser 14 comprises, downstream of the upper base and upstream of the lower base, at least one filtering baffle 32 through which the air stream passes during operation.

The filtering baffle 32 (in addition to stopping particles and/or impurities present in the air stream) also contributes to regulating the air flow, reducing its turbulence.

Advantageously the present invention solves the above mentioned problems, by providing an assembly 1 for sterilizing and depyrogenating containers which is versatile.

On a single device (constituted by the feeding station 2, by the heating station 3 and by the main unit 10) it is possible to install indifferently an air treatment module 11 that only cools the air stream conveyed by it, or an air treatment module 12 that is also capable of executing, in addition to the cooling of the air stream, a heating thereof which permits extraordinary sterilization operations of the chamber inside the main unit 10. Positively the assembly 1 according to the invention makes it possible to minimize the costs of storing the raw materials and the semi-finished products necessary for building it, as well as the assemblies proper.

In fact it is not necessary to have different components, depending on whether the assembly is intended for sterilization with consequent cooling of the containers A, or there is also the possibility of an extraordinary sterilization of the cooling station 4: in fact it will be sufficient to have a single device (constituted by the feeding station 2, by the heating station 3 and by the main unit 10) on which to install, according to requirements and in an easily interchangeable manner, an air treatment module 11 or an air treatment module 12 (which is also capable of executing extraordinary sterilization operations).

Conveniently the assembly 1 according to the invention has different structural and functional characteristics with respect to those of conventional devices, therefore offering the potential user possibilities in terms of versatility and reconfigurability post-installation that have never been possible until now.

Positively the assembly 1 is easily and practically implemented and is low cost: such characteristics make it an innovative technical solution which is safe in use.

The invention, thus conceived, is susceptible of numerous modifications and variations, all of which are within the scope of the appended claims. Moreover, all the details may be substituted by other, technically equivalent elements.

In the embodiments illustrated, individual characteristics shown in relation to specific examples may in reality be interchanged with other, different characteristics, existing in other embodiments.

In practice, the materials employed, as well as the dimensions, may be any according to requirements and to the state of the art.

The disclosures in Italian Patent Application No. 102016000014770 (UB2016A000694) from which this application claims priority are incorporated herein by reference.

Where technical features mentioned in any claim are followed by reference signs, those reference signs have been included for the sole purpose of increasing the intelligibility of the claims and accordingly, such reference signs do not have any limiting effect on the interpretation of each element identified by way of example by such reference signs.