The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jan. 17, 1995
Filed:
Jul. 16, 1993
Robert J Kruger, McHenry, IL (US);
Joaquin Mayoral, Downers Grove, IL (US);
Abbott Laboratories, Abbott Park, IL (US);
Abstract
The present invention is directed to a method for the on-line sterile filling of a container with a sterile solution from a filling nozzle in a filling head. A container having an open end and a hollow body portion for receiving the sterile solution is provided. The container also includes an access passageway tube having first and second ends and a pierceable septum sealing the passageway at an intermediate position within the tube. The first open end of the access passageway tube is sealed in the open end of the container so as to close the hollow body portion of the container, which is then sterilized. Later, before on line filling, the second end of the access passageway tube is isolated from the surrounding environment by axially advancing and sealably seating the filling head at the second end of the access passageway tube. The isolated end of the access passageway tube is then sterilized for a time period sufficient to reduce the viable micro-organism population present to a predetermined level. Then a filling nozzle is advanced from the filling head through the isolated and sterilized end of the passageway tube and pierces the septum of the tube. After the sterilized hollow body portion is filled with the sterile solution, the access passageway is sealed between the hollow body portion and the filling nozzle.