DE9107392U1 - Device for clean and gentle opening of capsules - Google Patents

Description

910232 Nordmark Arzneimittel GmbH O.Z. 0650/01018

Device for clean and gentle opening of capsules Description

The present invention relates to a device for clean and

Gently opening hard gelatin capsules 6 filled with lumpy or powdered goods 2 by means of a product receiving part 1 serving to fix them.

Devices of the type mentioned above are not known.

In the traditional way, the capsules are destroyed by mechanical pressure or are disposed of directly.

The disadvantage of this procedure is that the recoverable product is contaminated by a large number of small and large gelatin fragments.

This contamination often prohibits the direct reuse of the lumpy or powdered goods 2.

It is no longer appropriate to dispose of filled capsules 6 if they still contain usable goods 2.

The object of the present invention was therefore to provide a device for

clean and gentle opening of capsules 6 filled with lumpy or powdery goods 2, with which it is possible in a simple and reliable manner to open the capsules 6 cleanly and gently, so that the contents of the capsules 6 are not contaminated with capsule residues and the capsule base 8 opened in this way can be emptied in order to be able to return the lumpy or powdery goods 2 directly into the production process.

This object was achieved according to the invention in that the product receiving part 1 fixes the capsule 6 in a certain position on a Knife head 3 passes, which cuts off the upper tip 7 of the capsule 6 and separates it from the lower part 8.

Advantageous embodiments are the subject of subclaims 1 to 8. 40

With the device according to the invention it is possible to open capsules 6 cleanly and gently and to feed them to the emptying process without the lumpy or powdery product 2 becoming contaminated or damaged.

Nordmark Pharmaceuticals GmbH

910232

O.Z. 0650/0101:

The capsule to be opened is placed in the product receiving part 1 and is transported, fixed therein, to the knife head 3. The stationary 5 or rotating 4, 11 knife head cuts or saws the fixed capsule 6 at the upper tip 7 and in the process separates the cut-off tip 7 from the lower part 8 of the capsule 6 in such a way that no particles can get into the opened lower part 8 covered by the knife head 3 and guides the cut-off tip 7 to the outlet channel 14 of the opening chamber 9.

The removal of the cut/sawn-off tip 7 from the opening chamber 9 is assisted by applying a slight negative pressure to the outlet channel 14.

Any particles that may be created during cutting/sawing are sucked away by a slight negative pressure applied to the outlet channel 14 of the opening chamber 9.

The invention is explained in more detail below with reference to Figures 1 to 8.

Showing: 20

Figure la:

Figure Ib: 25 Figure 2: Figure 3:

30 Figure 4a: Figure 4b:

Figure 5: 35

Figure 6:

Figure 7: 40 Figure 8:

A top view of a fixed knife head 5 on a Transport beam 15 A plan view of a fixed knife head arrangement 5 on

a transport beam 15

A top view of a rotating knife head 4, 11 on a Transport beam 15 A cross section through a transport beam 15 with capsules 6

in the product receiving parts 1 and a knife head 3 without

Opening chamber 9 A top view of a fixed knife head 5 on a

rotating disk 16 (detail)

A plan view of a fixed knife head arrangement 5 on

a rotating disk 16 (detail)

A top view of a rotating knife head 4, 11 on a

rotating disk 16 (detail)

A cross section through an opening head arrangement 9 with a

fixed knife head 5

A cross section through an opening head arrangement 9 with a

rotating knife head 4, 11

A top view of an opening chamber 9 with a rotating Knife head 4, 11

A targeted feeding of the capsule 6 to the knife head 3 is achieved by a constant arrangement of the product receiving parts 1 on the transport bar 15 or by the arrangement of the product receiving parts 1 on constant radii 12 of the rotating disk 16. 5

A product receiving part 1 contains a capsule 6 filled with lumpy or powdered goods 2.

The product receiving part 1 is limited by its diameter and by a base plate 10 arranged underneath.

The capsule 6 fixed in this product receiving part 1 protrudes with its top 7 over the product receiving part 1 and is transported into a chamber 9 in such a way that the top 7 of the capsule is delimited by this chamber 9. In this chamber 9 there is a stationary 5 or rotating 4 knife, which grasps the top 7 at the height of the upper edge of the product receiving part 1, cuts it off and at this moment separates it from the lower part 8 of the capsule.

In the expanded cavity of the chamber 9 above the knife 3, the tip 7 of the capsule 6 is removed to the side into an outlet channel 14, either by the bevels of the fixed knife head 5 or by the centrifugal force on the tip 7 caused by the rotating knife 4/saw blade 11. It is helpful to apply a light

Negative pressure to the outlet channel 14 located in chamber 9.

To ensure that no product can be removed from the opened lower part 8 of the capsule, the chamber 9 behind the knife 3 is limited to the geometry of the opened lower part 8 of the capsule. 30

After leaving the opening chamber 9, the base plate 10 is interrupted so that the opened capsules 6 can be removed from the product receptacles 1.

Claims (8)

Protection claims 1. Device for the clean and gentle opening of hard gelatin capsules (6) filled with lumpy or powdery goods (2) by means of a product receiving part (1) serving to fix them, characterized in that the product receiving part (1) guides the capsule (6) fixed in a certain position past a knife head (3) which cuts off the upper dome (7) of the capsule (6) and separates it from the lower part (8).
10 2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the cut-off capsule upper parts (7) are removed from the upper part of the knife (3) by means of slight negative pressure. 3. Device according to claim 1 and 2, characterized in that the opened capsule lower parts (8) are mechanically shielded from the cut-off upper parts. 4. Device according to claim 1 to 3, characterized in that a or several capsules (6) are opened simultaneously by a rotating knife (4). 5. Device according to claims 1 to 3, characterized in that one or more capsules (6) can be opened simultaneously with one or more fixed knives (5). 6. Device according to claims 1 to 3, characterized in that one or more capsules (6) are opened simultaneously by a rotating saw blade (11). 7. Device according to claims 1 to 6, characterized in that several product receiving parts (1) are arranged on one or more constant radii (12) on a rotating disk (16). 8. Device according to claims 1 to 6, characterized in that several product receiving parts (1) are arranged on a beam (15). 0650/232/91 Spr/ER U.06.1991 Drawing. /F