Abbott Laboratories Corporation

Billy D Cornelius

Jianjun Wang

Ralph A Gygax

Lonnie R Drayer

Douglas A Harp

Douglas D Osborn

The present invention provides an apparatus and method for testing seal strength and integrity of packages and for testing container and lid integrity, during an on-line production processing environment. Air pressure is introduced in a unique way to test the container and/or container seal in an additional step of an otherwise typical processing environment. A computer may be in communication with the testing sensors to control the processing in the event a failure is detected. The present invention provides a way to meet the continuously increasing line speed in form, fill and seal production processes with a unique ability of having complete package integrity testing for any odd shapes and package combinations.

On-line container and seal integrity test system

The need for a highly viscous couplant gel or water spray to form an acoustical couple for ultrasound testing is eliminated by employing an ultrasound probe module. A porous membrane and an ultrasound probe cooperate to define a chamber which contains a liquid acoustical couplant. When pressure is applied to the liquid acoustical couplant it passes through the porous membrane. The porous membrane and chamber are disposed such that ultrasound signals going to or away from the ultrasound probe pass through the liquid acoustical couplant and porous membrane.

Apparatus for ultrasound testing

A testing apparatus is disclosed which is useful for determining if air filters are providing clean/sterile air within acceptable aseptic processing and/or clean room operation acceptable contaminant levels. The advantage of the disclosed testing apparatus is that air filters may be tested 'on-line' during a production process as opposed to the traditional testing methods which included removal of the air filter for off-line testing. Less down-time is experienced using the disclosed testing system. A series of valves positioned at the outputs from the air filters, which allow communication with a particle counter, are controlled by a computer which sequentially activates the valves to test the contamination level of the air which passed through an air filter during the production process.

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Powell, OH, United States of America

Billy D Cornelius