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A filling apparatus may include a conveyor for transporting the vials in an aseptic zone and a vial filler including a dispenser, for example, a filling needle, connected to a fluid supply. The vial filler may be disposed in the aseptic zone. The apparatus may also comprise a drive disposed in a non

A filling apparatus may include a conveyor for transporting the vials in an aseptic zone and a vial filler including a dispenser, for example, a filling needle, connected to a fluid supply. The vial filler may be disposed in the aseptic zone. The apparatus may also comprise a drive disposed in a non-aseptic zone, operatively connected to the vial filler, and configured to move the dispenser into and out of filling engagement with the vials being transported. The vial filler may further include a valve, for example, a pinch valve, disposed in the aseptic zone proximate the dispenser and movable with the dispenser for controlling the fluid flow through the dispenser.

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1. Apparatus for aseptically filling vials with fluid from a fluid supply, the apparatus comprising:a conveyor for transporting the vials in an aseptic zone;a vial filling mechanism disposed in the aseptic zone, the filling mechanism including a filling needle fluidly connected to the fluid supply;a

1. Apparatus for aseptically filling vials with fluid from a fluid supply, the apparatus comprising:a conveyor for transporting the vials in an aseptic zone;a vial filling mechanism disposed in the aseptic zone, the filling mechanism including a filling needle fluidly connected to the fluid supply;a drive mechanism operatively connected to the filling mechanism for moving the filling needle horizontally and vertically into and out of filling engagement with the vials being transported, the drive being disposed in a non-aseptic zone;wherein the filling mechanism further includes a valve for controlling the fluid flow through said filling needle; andwherein said valve is movable with said filling needle. 2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the filling needle is fluidly connected to the fluid supply by a conduit;wherein the filling mechanism further includes a fluid temperature sensor disposed in the aseptic zone proximate said filling needle;wherein the fluid temperature sensor is operatively connected to sense fluid temperature in said conduit; andwherein the fluid temperature sensor is movable with said filling needle. 3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the filling needle is fluidly connected to the fluid supply by a conduit at least a portion of which is elastically deformable; andwherein said valve is a pinch valve positioned to engage said elastically deformable conduit portion. 4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the filling needle is fluidly connected to the fluid supply by a conduit having an interior passage with a cross-sectional shape;wherein the valve is operatively connected to said conduit; andwherein the cross-sectional shape of the part of the conduit interior passage disposed between the filling needle and the valve remains substantially unchanged during movement of the filling needle. 5. The apparatus as in claim 1 wherein the filling needle is fluidly connected to the fluid supply by a flexible conduit;wherein the flexible conduit includes an interior volume portion extending between the filling needle and the valve; andwherein the volume portion remains substantially the same during movement of the filling needle. 6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus further includes an actuator for the valve, the valve actuator being movable with said filling mechanism. 7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the filling mechanism is disposed above a generally horizontal table;wherein a space below said table comprises said non-aseptic zone; andwherein the filling needle is operatively connected to said drive by a support member extending generally vertically through a sealed opening in said table. 8. The apparatus as in claim 7 wherein the support member extends through a bellows-type seal operatively connected to seal the opening in the table. 9. The apparatus of claim 7 further including an enclosure cooperating with said table to define said aseptic zone. 10. The apparatus as in claim 1 wherein the valve is disposed proximate said filling needle. 11. Apparatus for aseptically filling vials with fluid from a fluid supply, the apparatus comprising:a substantially horizontal member defining in part adjacent aseptic and non-aseptic zones;means for transporting the vials in the aseptic zone;means disposed in the aseptic zone for filling the vials being transported, the vial filling means including means for engaging the vials fluidly connected to the fluid supply;drive means operatively connected to the vial engagement means for moving the vial engagement means horizontally and vertically into and out of filling engagement with the vials being transported, the drive means being disposed in a non-aseptic zone and being connected to the vial engagement means through said horizontal member;wherein the vial filling means further includes means for controlling the fluid flow through said vial engagement means; andwherein the controlling means is movable with said engagement means. 12. The apparatus of claim 11, whe rein the engagement means is fluidly connected to the fluid supply by conduit means;wherein the filling means further includes means for sensing temperature of the fluid in the conduit means; andwherein said temperature sensing means is disposed in the aseptic zone proximate said engagement means and is movable with said engagement means. 13. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the engagement means is fluidly connected to the fluid supply by conduit means including an elastically deformable conduit member;wherein said controlling means includes means for pinching together opposed walls of the conduit member. 14. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the engagement means is fluidly connected to the fluid supply by conduit means having an interior passage with a cross-sectional shape;wherein the controlling means is operatively connected to control fluid flow through said conduit means; andwherein the cross-sectional shape of a part of the conduit means interior passage disposed between the engagement means and the controlling means remains substantially unchanged during movement of the engagement means. 15. The apparatus as in claim 11 wherein the engagement means is fluidly connected to the fluid supply by conduit means having a flexible conduit member between the controlling means and the engagement means;wherein the flexible conduit portion has an interior volume; andwherein the interior volume remains substantially unchanged during movement of the filling needle. 16. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the apparatus further includes means for actuating the controlling means, the actuating means being movable with said engagement means. 17. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the filling means is disposed above a generally horizontal table;wherein a space below said table comprises said non-aseptic zone; andwherein the apparatus further includes movable support means operatively connected to said drive means for supporting the engagement means in the aseptic zone;wherein the support means extends generally vertically through an opening in said table. 18. The apparatus as in claim 17 further including means for sealing the table opening while allowing movement of said support means. 19. The apparatus of claim 17 further including means for enclosing a space above the table and cooperating with said table to define said aseptic zone. 20. The apparatus as in claim 11 wherein the controlling means is disposed proximate to the engagement means. 21. Apparatus for filling pharmaceutical containers in a substantially clean and sterile environment, the apparatus comprising:a substantially horizontal table dividing the apparatus into a substantially contamination free sterile zone and a non-sterile zone, said zones at least partially disposed in side-by-side relation;an enclosure cooperating with said substantially horizontal table to define said sterile zone;a transport at least partially disposed within said sterile zone that moves containers through the sterile zone;a filling apparatus that fills the containers with pharmaceuticals in said sterile zone as the containers are moved through said sterile zone, said filling apparatus comprising at least one dispenser disposed within said sterile zone and comprising a portion disposed in said non-sterile zone, said filling apparatus extending through a sealed opening in said substantially horizontal table generally between said filling apparatus dispenser in said sterile zone and said filling apparatus portion in said non-sterile zone; anda device configured and positioned to control the flow of pharmaceuticals from said dispenser,wherein said dispenser is movable horizontally and vertically into and out of filling engagement with said containers, andwherein said device is positioned proximate to said dispenser and is movable with said dispenser. 22. The apparatus as in claim 21, wherein the dispenser is movable, the filling apparatus includes a drive positioned in the nonsterile zone and a su pport member interconnecting the drive and the dispenser, and the support member extends through the sealed opening. 23. Apparatus for aseptically filling containers with fluid from a fluid supply, the apparatus comprising:a substantially horizontal table defining at least in part an upper aseptic zone and a lower non-aseptic zone;a fluid dispenser supported by said table, the fluid dispenser being movable horizontally and vertically into and out of filling engagement with the container and operatively connected to the fluid supply; anda valve operatively connected to control fluid flow through the dispenser, the valve being movable in unison with the dispenser. 24. Apparatus for aseptically filling containers with fluid from a fluid supply, the apparatus comprising:a vertically extending enclosure defining at least in part an aseptic zone surrounding at least one horizontally movable container;a fluid dispenser disposed within said enclosure and operatively connected to the fluid supply;a valve operatively connected to control fluid flow through the dispenser; anda member supporting the dispenser and the valve within the enclosure, the dispenser and the valve being movable in unison horizontally and vertically into and out of engagement with the container. 25. Apparatus for aseptically filling containers with fluid from a fluid supply, the apparatus comprising:a linear conveyor at least partially disposed in an enclosed aseptic zone.a fluid dispenser disposed proximate the conveyor in the aseptic zone, the dispenser being movable horizontally and vertically into and out of engagement with one or more containers being conveyed by the conveyor;a metering device for controlling fluid flow through the dispenser; anda drive disposed in a non-aseptic zone located adjacent the enclosed aseptic zone,wherein the drive is operatively connected to move the dispenser and the metering device in unison. 26. Apparatus for aseptically filling containers with a flowable substance from a supply, the apparatus comprising:means for providing at least a partially enclosed aseptic zone;means operatively connected to the substance supply and disposed for metering and dispensing substance in the aseptic zone;means for at least one of horizontally and vertically conveying containers linearly past the metering and dispensing means; andmeans for at least one of horizontally and vertically reciprocating the metering and dispensing means into and out of operative engagement with the containers being conveyed by said conveyor means. 27. Apparatus for aseptically filling a moving container with a flowable substance from a substance supply, the apparatus comprising:an at least partially enclosed aseptic zone, the moving container being disposed in said zone;a dispenser disposed in said zone and operatively connected to receive substance from the substance supply;a substantially horizontal wall member adjacent said zone and having a sealed aperture;a drive operatively connected to the dispenser through the sealed aperture to reciprocate the dispenser vertically into filling engagement and disengagement with the moving container; anda metering device for controlling the substance flow through the dispenser, said metering device being movable in unison with the dispensers by said drive. 28. Apparatus for filling containers in an aseptic zone from a fluid supply, the apparatus comprising:a fluid dispenser disposed and configured to be movable within the aseptic zone, the dispenser being fluidly connected to the fluid supply;a pinch valve for controlling fluid flow through the dispenser, the pinch valve being disposed and configured to be movable within the aseptic zone;wherein the fluid dispenser and the pinch valve are connected for interdependent movement; anda drive operatively connected for moving the fluid dispenser horizontally and vertically into and out of filling engagement with a container disposed in the aseptic zone. 29. Method of aseptically fillin g containers from a fluid supply, the method comprising:providing adjacent aseptic and non-aseptic zones;disposing in the aseptic zone (i) a fluid dispenser in fluid communication with the fluid supply and (ii) a metering device for controlling fluid flow through the fluid dispenser;conveying the containers through the aseptic zone to the non-aseptic zone; andreciprocating the fluid dispenser horizontally and vertically into and out of filling engagement with the moving containers in the aseptic zone; andmoving the metering device substantially in unison with the fluid dispenser. 30. Method of aseptically filling containers from a fluid supply, the method comprising:arranging a substantially horizontal table for defining, at least in part, an upper aseptic zone and a lower non-aseptic zone;fluidly connecting the fluid supply to at lest one movable fluid dispenser supported in the aseptic zone by at least one member extending through the table from the non-aseptic zone;transporting the containers linearly through the aseptic zone;moving the fluid dispenser into and out of filling engagement with the container in the aseptic zone using said member; andcontrolling fluid flow through the fluid connection between the fluid supply and the fluid dispensers using a metering device disposed in the aseptic zone adjacent to and movable in unison with the fluid dispenser using said member.