System and method for validating the crimping of a vial having a stopper and a cap

Abstract

A system and method for validating the crimping of a vial having a stopper and a cap are disclosed. According to one embodiment, the system comprises a crimping cylinder, a controller that validates the crimping of the cap to the vial; and an indicator for indicating whether the crimping was validated. The crimping cylinder comprises a piston; a plurality of crimping jaws interacting with the piston, the crimping jaws moving to a closed position when the piston is moved in a downward direction, and the crimping jaws moving to an open position when the piston is moved in an upward direction; a position indicator; and a position sensor. The position indicator and position sensor indicate a position of the piston.

1 . A system for validating the crimping of a vial having a stopper and a cap, comprising:
 a crimping cylinder, comprising:
 a piston; 
 a plurality of crimping jaws interacting with the piston, the crimping jaws moving to a closed position when the piston is moved in a downward direction, and the crimping jaws moving to an open position when the piston is moved in an upward position; 
 a position indicator; and 
 a position sensor, wherein the position indicator and position sensor indicate a position of the piston; 
   a controller that validates the crimping of the cap to the vial; and   an indicator for indicating whether the crimping was validated.   
   
   
       2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the crimping cylinder is a pneumatic cylinder and the system further comprises:
 at least one source of compressed air pneumatically coupled to the crimping cylinder.   
   
   
       3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the position indicator comprises a magnet, and the position sensor comprises a magnetic position sensor. 
   
   
       4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the controller validates the crimping of the cap to the vial based on the position of the piston. 
   
   
       5 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein, responsive to a faulty crimping of the cap to the vial, the controller determines a specific crimping fault. 
   
   
       6 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein the specific crimping fault is selected from the group consisting of the cap being tilted, no stopper is in place, the cap is not crimped, and the cap is overly-crimped. 
   
   
       7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the indicator comprises at least one of a display and a speaker. 
   
   
       8 . A method for validating the crimping of a vial having a stopper and a cap, comprising:
 positioning a vial, a stopper and a cap in a crimping cylinder, the crimping cylinder having a piston and a plurality of crimping jaws interacting with the piston;   moving the piston in a downward direction, the movement causing the crimping jaws to move to a closed position;   moving the piston further in a downward direction, the further movement causing the crimping jaws to crimp the cap along a neck of the vial; and   validating the crimping based on a position of the piston in the crimping cylinder.   
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the position of the piston is determined based on a position of a position indicator relative to a position sensor. 
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the position indicator comprises a magnet, and the position sensor comprises a magnetic position sensor. 
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising determining a specific crimping fault responsive to a faulty crimping of the cap to the vial. 
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the specific crimping fault is selected from the group consisting of the cap being tilted, no stopper is in place, the cap is not crimped, and the cap is overly-crimped. 
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 indicating whether the crimping was validated.   
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the piston is moved with compressed air. 
   
   
       15 . An apparatus for validating the crimping of a cap to a vial, comprising:
 a housing;   a piston moveable within the housing;   at least one crimping jaw coupled to the piston, wherein movement of the piston in a first direction causes the at least one crimping jaw to move to a closed position and movement of the piston in a second direction causes the at least one crimping jaw to move to an open position;   a position sensor for sensing the position of the piston;   a controller coupled to the position sensor for validating the crimping of the cap to the vial based on the position of the piston; and   an indicator for indicating whether the crimping was validated.   
   
   
       16 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein movement of the piston towards the vial causes the at least one crimping jaw to move to the closed position, and movement of the piston away from the vial causes the at least one crimping jaw to move to the open position. 
   
   
       17 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the controller determines a crimping fault of the cap being tilted when the cap is tilted. 
   
   
       18 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the controller determines a crimping fault of a lack of a stopper in the vial when no stopper is present. 
   
   
       19 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the controller determines a crimping fault of the cap being not crimped when the cap is not crimped. 
   
   
       20 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the controller determines a crimping fault of the cap being overly-crimped when the cap is overly crimped.