Importance

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Abstract

A system for filling containers with a prescribed medication includes a support head for receiving a disposable syringe which allows the syringe to be pumped to transfer liquid to an from the syringe. A robot arm is also provided to carry medication and diluent containers to the syringe for withdrawing diluent to the syringe and injecting it into the medication container for mixing. In order to ensure alignment of the containers with the syringe, there is provided on the support head an additional needle grasping system which grasps and locates the needle for penetration of the membrane of the container. The support head includes a weigh scale as an integral element thereof so that the syringe is weighed after each step of the process. The syringe is actuated in a pumping action to inject air into the container and to withdraw liquid from the container and to maintain at the termination of the pumping action a partial vacuum within the container so that any liquid tending to escape as a drop is drawn back into the container and is prevented from escaping to atmosphere. The medication containers and the diluent container together with a syringe are supplied on a rack body so that each prescription to be filled can be set up in advance on a separate rack body and that rack body inserted into the apparatus in turn and located on a base member of the apparatus. A separate mixer is provided for receiving the medication container from the robot arm for effecting an oscillating mixing action while the robot arm effects functions on a further container.

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First Claim