Method and device for orienting and/or displacing a sterile object packaged in a film bag relative to the film bag

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for orienting and/or displacing a sterile object packaged in a film bag, comprising: positioning the film bag with the object packaged therein on a support surface so that an end region of the film bag is arranged between two gripper bars of a gripping device; clamping the end region between clamping surfaces of the gripper bars, the two gripper bars jointly forming a gripper assembly; winding a portion of the film bag adjacent to the clamped end region onto a peripheral portion of the gripper assembly; and orienting and/or displacing the object relative to the film bag by a further peripheral portion of the gripper assembly acting on the object in the winding step. The invention also relates to a device configured to carry out this method.

1 . A method for orienting and/or displacing a sterile object packaged in a film bag relative to the film bag, the method comprising:
 positioning the film bag with the object packaged therein on a support surface so that an end region of the film bag is arranged between two gripper bars of a gripping device;   clamping the end region between clamping surfaces of the two gripper bars, wherein the two gripper bars jointly form a gripper assembly;   winding a portion of the film bag adjacent to the clamped end region onto a peripheral portion of the gripper assembly; and   orienting and/or displacing the object relative to the film bag by a further peripheral portion of the gripper assembly when winding the portion of the film bag.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 unwinding at least part of the portion of the wound up film bag from the gripper assembly.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 cutting open the film bag in a region which is wound onto the gripper assembly.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 transporting the film bag and the object packaged therein by moving the gripper assembly clamping the end region parallel to the support surface.   
     
     
         5 . A device for orienting and/or displacing a sterile object packaged in a film bag relative to the film bag, comprising:
 a gripping device having two gripper bars which can be moved relative to each other along a clamping direction towards each other and away from each other between a clamping position and a release position, in order to clamp an end region of the film bag in the clamping position between clamping surfaces of the gripper bars and to release the end region in the release position, wherein the two gripper bars together form a gripper assembly in the clamping position, wherein the gripper assembly is rotatable about an axis of rotation perpendicular to the clamping direction, and wherein the gripper assembly is adjustable at least in a horizontal transport direction.   
     
     
         6 . The device of  claim 5 , wherein the gripper assembly is adjustable in two non-parallel directions in an adjustment plane perpendicular to the axis of rotation. 
     
     
         7 . The device of  claim 5 , wherein the gripper assembly has, in a cross-section perpendicular to the axis of rotation, a peripheral portion with a convexly rounded contour. 
     
     
         8 . The device of  claim 5 , further comprising a cutting device having a cutting element for cutting open the film bag, wherein the gripper assembly has a guide slot that is configured to receive a protruding end of the cutting element when cutting open the film bag. 
     
     
         9 . The device of  claim 8 , wherein the cutting device comprises a contact surface, and wherein the guide slot is formed in a peripheral portion of the gripper assembly, wherein the gripper assembly has a contact surface in the peripheral portion that is configured to be in planar contact with the contact surface of the cutting device when cutting open the film bag. 
     
     
         10 . The device of  claim 5 , further comprising a support surface, wherein the gripping device is arranged and configured to transport the film bag with the object packaged therein on the support surface along the transport direction, the film bag being clamped between the gripper bars. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the steps of transporting the film bag and the object packaged therein and winding the portion of the film bag adjacent to the clamped end region onto the peripheral portion of the gripper assembly overlap in time. 
     
     
         12 . The gripping device of  claim 7 , wherein the peripheral portion with the convexly rounded contour is in a form of a segment of a circle.