System For Producing A Medical Bag, And Method For Operating Such A System

Abstract

Assembly for manufacturing a medical bag from a plastic film, with filling means for filling the bag with a liquid through a port of the bag, with closing means for closing the port after filling of the bag, with different stations in which various production process steps are performed, and with a transport unit for transferring the bag being produced along these stations, the assembly being adapted to perform filling of the bag and closing of the bag at a combined filling and closing station.

1 . An assembly for manufacturing a medical bag from a plastic film, the assembly comprises:
 filling means for filling the medical bag with a liquid through a port of the medical bag;   closing means for closing the port after filling of the medical bag;   a plurality of different stations in which various production process steps are performed; and   a transport unit for transferring the medical bag being produced along the plurality of different stations;   wherein the assembly is adapted to perform the filling and the closing of the medical bag at a combined filling and closing station,   wherein the combined filling and closing station comprises:   an angle adjusting device having an operative connection to a reclining angle and/or holding angle of the medical bag, and/or an operative connection to an angular position of a filling nozzle.   
     
     
         2 . The assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the assembly is adapted to perform filling of the medical bag with the bag in a horizontal position. 
     
     
         3 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the assembly is adapted to hold the medical bag at the combined filling and closing station at an inclination of less than 45° with respect to a horizontal plane. 
     
     
         4 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the combined filling and closing station comprises a filling nozzle and a plug insertion unit. 
     
     
         5 . The assembly of  claim 4 , wherein the filling nozzle and the plug insertion unit have the same operational height, but at least one of these two units has a retraction position which allows the other of the two units to reach a working position at the medical bag in order to interact with the medical bag in this working position. 
     
     
         6 . The assembly of  claim 4 , wherein the filling nozzle and/or the plug insertion unit have a height adjusting device for adjusting the height between a working position and a retraction position. 
     
     
         7 . The assembly of  claim 4 , wherein the plug insertion unit has a regripping unit so that the plug insertion unit can be equipped with a new plug for a subsequent medical bag. 
     
     
         8 . The assembly of  claim 7 , wherein the regripping unit is arranged in a region of the retraction position. 
     
     
         9 . A method of operating an assembly for manufacturing a medical bag from a plastic film, the method comprising:
 providing a port on the medical bag;   holding the medical bag at a filling and closing station at a predetermined angle by means of an angle adjusting device;   filling the medical bag with a liquid through the port along a transport path; and   closing the port on the medical bag with a plug,   wherein filling and closing of the medical bag occurs at a single combined filling and closing station;   wherein the angle adjusting device comprising an operative connection to a reclining angle and/or holding angle of the medical bag and/or an operative connection to an angular position of a filling nozzle and of any other components of the combined filling and closing station; and   wherein for different bags, different angles are set with a view to material, filling height and the like.   
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 9 , wherein the medical bag is filled and closed in a horizontal position. 
     
     
         11 . The assembly of  claim 2 , wherein the assembly is adapted to hold the medical bag at the combined filling and closing station at an inclination of less than 45° with respect to a horizontal plane. 
     
     
         12 . The assembly of  claim 2 , wherein the combined filling and closing station comprises a filling nozzle and a plug insertion unit. 
     
     
         13 . The assembly of  claim 3 , wherein the combined filling and closing station comprises a filling nozzle and a plug insertion unit. 
     
     
         14 . The assembly of  claim 5 , wherein the plug insertion unit has a regripping unit so that the plug insertion unit can be equipped with a new plug for a subsequent medical bag. 
     
     
         15 . The assembly of  claim 6 , wherein the plug insertion unit has a regripping unit so that the plug insertion unit can be equipped with a new plug for a subsequent medical bag.