EP1682070B1 - Machine for filling and closing two-part capsules - Google Patents

Description

State of the art

The invention is based on a machine for filling and closing of two-part capsules of the type defined in the preamble of claim 1 in more detail.

Such a machine is known from practice and is used in the pharmaceutical sector for filling capsules consisting of a capsule lower part and a capsule upper part with, for example, a powdered medicament. The machine comprises a plurality of work stations, which are passed through by the capsules arranged on a conveyor, wherein the conveyor, for example, from a first provided with receptacles for the capsule parts conveyor wheel and a second, with recordings provided for the capsule tops conveying wheel is provided.

The work stations comprise at least one capsule separation station, at which the capsule upper part is separated from the capsule base, a filling station for filling the capsule base with the powder, a capsule closing station, at which the capsule top is placed back onto the capsule base, a capsule testing station, at which the capsules on their Quality and their filling state are checked, as well as a capsule ejection station at which the capsules are removed from the capsule delivery device.

The Kapselausstoßstation is designed so that the capsules, depending on their observed at the test station on the one hand in a bad side associated container for so-called bad capsules, ie for defective capsules, and on the other hand in a Gutseite associated container for so-called Gutkapseln, ie for error-free capsules , can be ejected. For this purpose, the capsule ejection station comprises plungers which axially push the capsules out of the respective receptacle and guide flaps which work in the manner of a switch and are pivotally mounted with respect to a pivot axis and each have two guideways, one of which is assigned to the good side and the other to the bad side and which are selectable depending on the test result of the respective capsule. The capsule receptacles and the guide flaps are arranged in rows, each receptacle being associated with a guide flap. The number of guide flaps corresponds to the number of capsule receptacles of Capsule delivery device. The guide flaps are individually controllable by means of an actuating device designed as a single folding mechanism. The guideways adjacent guide flaps are separated by partitions, whereby the partitions form the lateral boundaries of the guideways. They are integrally formed on a housing of the capsule ejection station and stand up as filigree, comb-shaped dividers whose production is disadvantageously complex.

Furthermore disadvantageous is the formation of a comparatively large gap between the individual guide flaps and the separating webs, so that the risk exists that in the case of suction-assisted ejection on the bad side at the respective guide flap on the good side, faultless capsules can remain "sticky".

Furthermore, each of the guide flaps due to the arrangement of the receptacles for the capsules in the conveyor and due to the uniformly shaped guide flaps own pivot axis, which in turn represents a large installation effort for the guide flaps.

Advantages of the invention

The machine according to the invention for filling and closing of two-part capsules, in particular of hard gelatin capsules, with the features of claim 1, in which machine the partitions each integrated Part of a guide flap, have the advantage that the capsule ejection station can have a considerably simpler to manufacture housing than the Kapselausstoßstation a machine according to the prior art, since consuming to be manufactured, serving as partitions dividers between the individual recordings of the capsule conveyor device are no longer required.

Due to the absence of dividers, the housing of the capsule ejection station is also easier to clean.

The fact that a gap between a guideways forming body of the guide flaps and an adjacent partition is eliminated, also reduces the risk that adhere to a Saugluftunterstützung on a, for example, a bad side associated guideway error-free capsules unintentionally on a so-called Gutseite associated guideway, since the air flow from the Gutseite associated guideway to the bad side associated guideway is significantly reduced.

In a mounting-friendly, preferred embodiment of the machine according to the invention, the respective one guide function having guide flaps are mounted on a common pivot axis. This makes it possible to slide the guide flaps during assembly as a package on the pivot axis.

Frequently, the recordings of the capsule conveying device are in two rows arranged in parallel, for example in each case arranged nine capsule receptacles. In this case, the guide flaps of the capsule ejection station cooperate with the two rows of capsule receptacles, wherein the guide flaps associated with the two rows differ from one another, such that a web separating the two guideways of one guide flap form laterally opposite a corresponding web of a second guide flap shape is offset.

To support the ejection of the capsules from their recordings of the capsule delivery device, at least one of the guide tracks of each guide flap can be acted on with suction air. In general, in a subdivision of the guideways in one of the Gutseite associated guideway and a bad side associated guideway the bad-sided guideway is acted upon with suction.

The position of the respective guide flap when ejecting the respective capsule from its receptacle of the capsule delivery device is preferably dependent on the quality determined at at least one test station for the capsules or the fill level of the respective capsules. If a capsule has been found to be good in the testing station, the corresponding guide flap is pivoted to a position such that the capsule is ejected along the guide side associated with the good side into a corresponding container. If a capsule in the test station is rated as poor, ie as faulty, the corresponding guide flap is pivoted in such a way that the capsule is ejected along the guideway associated with the bad side. For this purpose, a control device of the acts Actuator for the guide flaps preferably with the test station for the capsules together.

Further advantages and advantageous embodiments of the article according to the invention are the description, the drawings and the claims removed.

drawing

• Figur 1 eine prinziphafte Draufsicht auf eine Kapsel-Füll- und -schließmaschine;
• Figur 2 eine perspektivische Darstellung einer Kapselausstoßstation der Maschine nach Figur 1;
• Figur 3 einen Schnitt durch die Kapselausstoßstation nach Figur 2 vor dem Ausstoßen einer Kapsel;
• Figur 4 eine Figur 3 entsprechende Darstellung, jedoch beim Ausstoßen einer als Gutkapsel bewerteten Kapsel;
• Figur 5 eine Figur 3 entsprechende Darstellung, jedoch beim Ausstoßen einer als Schlechtkapsel bewerteten Kapsel;
• Figur 6 eine perspektivische Darstellung einer ersten und einer zweiten Führungsklappe der Kapselausstoßstation;
• Figur 7 eine Draufsicht auf die Führungsklappen nach Figur 6, wobei mittels der ersten Führungsklappe eine Schlechtkapsel und mittels der zweiten Führungsklappe eine Gutkapsel ausgestoßen wird;
• Figur 8 die Führungsklappen nach Figur 6, wobei mittels beider Führungsklappen jeweils eine Gutkapsel ausgestoßen wird;
• Figur 9 die Führungsklappen nach Figur 6, wobei mittels der ersten Führungsklappe eine Gutkapsel und mittels der zweiten Führungsklappe eine Schlechtkapsel ausgestoßen wird;
• Figur 10 die beiden Führungsklappen nach Figur 6, wobei mittels beider Führungsklappen jeweils eine Schlechtkapsel ausgestoßen wird;
• Figur 11 eine perspektivische Ansicht der zweiten Führungsklappe; und
• Figur 12 eine perspektivische Ansicht der ersten Führungsklappe.

An embodiment of a machine according to the invention is shown schematically simplified in the drawing and will be described in more detail in the following description. Show it

• FIG. 1 a schematic plan view of a capsule filling and -schließmaschine;
• FIG. 2 a perspective view of a capsule ejection station of the machine according to FIG. 1 ;
• FIG. 3 a section through the capsule ejection station after FIG. 2 before ejecting a capsule;
• FIG. 4 a FIG. 3 corresponding representation, however, when ejecting a capsule evaluated as Gutkapsel;
• FIG. 5 a FIG. 3 corresponding representation, however, when ejecting a capsule rated as bad capsule;
• FIG. 6 a perspective view of a first and a second guide flap of Kapselausstoßstation;
• FIG. 7 a plan view of the guide flaps after FIG. 6 , wherein by means of the first guide flap, a bad capsule and by means of the second guide flap a Gutkapsel is ejected;
• FIG. 8 the guide flaps after FIG. 6 , wherein in each case a Gutkapsel is ejected by means of both guide flaps;
• FIG. 9 the guide flaps after FIG. 6 wherein a Gutkapsel by means of the first guide flap and a bad capsule is ejected by means of the second guide flap;
• FIG. 10 the two guide flaps after FIG. 6 , wherein in each case a bad capsule is ejected by means of both guide flaps;
• FIG. 11 a perspective view of the second guide flap; and
• FIG. 12 a perspective view of the first guide flap.

Description of the embodiment

In FIG. 1 a machine 10 for filling and closing of capsules C is shown, each consisting of a capsule base CU and a capsule shell or a cap CO. The machine 10 comprises, as a capsule conveying device, a conveying wheel 12 which rotates stepwise about a vertical axis 11 and by means of which twelve workstations I to XII can be approached. For this purpose, the capsule conveying device 12 comprises twelve carriers 13, in each of which two rows of respectively five receptacles 14A and 14B offset in the longitudinal direction for each one of the capsules C are formed.

The individual workstations I to XII of the machine 10 have different tasks when filling the capsules C.

Thus, for example, at workstations I and II, the assembled capsules C are sorted and inserted into the receptacles 14A of the first row and into the receptacles of the second row 14B of the respective carrier 13.

After a rotation of the feed wheel 12 or the stocked carrier 13 to the workstation III, the capsules are released there, d. H. the capsule shell CO is separated from the capsule body CU. Also, in the work station III, the capsule tops CO of the capsules C used in the carrier 13 are keyed to their quality.

When starting the workstation V by the two-part support 13, which station present a powder filling station with decentralized air gap adjustment and central suction for processing of pharmaceutical products, the capsules C are filled, with a pneumatic readjustment of the filled into the respective capsule CU lower part pharmaceutical powder ,

In the workstations VII and VIII, the capsules C arranged in the respective carrier 13 are checked for their filling state or for their quality.

When the conveyor wheel 12 or the carrier 13 reaches the workstation IX, the capsule CO parts will be there again arranged in alignment with the respective associated capsule bases CU.

After a further rotation by 30 ° about the axis 11 of the carrier 13 reaches the workstation X, which represents a closing station. The capsule CO parts are therefore placed there again on the capsule parts CU.

Subsequently, the carrier 13 is conveyed to the capsule ejection station XI in which the individual capsules C are ejected from their receptacles 14A and 14B.

After ejection of the capsule C, the carrier 13 is fed to a cleaning station XII, in which it is cleaned of residues of the capsule C or of the powder filled into it.

The capsule ejection station XI is described in more detail below with reference to FIGS. 2 to 12.

The capsule ejection station XI comprises a housing body 15, on the inside of which the carrier 13 connected to the conveyor wheel 12 is guided, which is formed by a carrier lower part 17 and a carrier upper part 18. The lower carrier part 17, which can be moved horizontally, serves to receive the lower capsule parts CU, and the upper carrier part 18, which can be moved vertically, serves to receive the capsule upper parts CO.

Below the carrier 13, an ejector 19 is arranged, which is connected to a drive 20 and for each of the ten receptacles 14A and 14B of the carrier 13 each have a plunger 21 which is displaced in the axial direction Z for ejecting the respective capsule C from the first and second row associated receptacles 14A and 14B, respectively, so that the capsules C respectively are pushed up from their respective receptacle 14A and 14B. When ejected from their receptacles 14A and 14B, the capsules C are each pushed through a bore 22 of a housing upper part 23, to then be supplied by means of a soft guide flap 24A or 24B either a Gutseite 25 or a bad side 26. The Gutseite 25 is intended for capsules C, which were found to be faultless in the workstations VII and VIII. The bad side 26 is intended for capsules C, which were rated as faulty during the keying in the workstation IX.

The Gutseite 25 includes a first plexiglass cover 27, which prevents ejection of the capsules C from the machine XI and leads to a not shown here for collecting proper canned capsules C. The plexiglass hood 27 forms on its underside a sliding track, which is aligned with a slide track 28 which is formed on the outside of the housing body 15.

The bad side 26 comprises a second plexiglass hood 29, which also prevents capsules C from being pushed out of the machine 10. The plexiglass hood 29 covers a catchment area 30, which is formed on the inside of the housing upper part 23.

The capsule ejection station X has five guide flaps 24A and five further guide flaps 24B which are mounted on a common pivot axis 31, wherein the guide flaps 24A and the further guide flaps 24B are arranged alternately one behind the other. The guide flaps 24A are the receptacles 14A of the carrier 13 and the other guide flaps 24B are associated with the receptacles 14B of the carrier 21.

Each of the guide flaps 24A and 24B is connected to a guide rod 32A and 32B, respectively, by means of which a respective pivoting movement can be imposed on the respective guide flap 24A and 24B, which is triggered by means of an actuating device 39, which is indicated only very schematically.

The guide rods 32A and 32B, by means of which the guide flaps 24A and 24B are operable, are connected to the actuator 39, which cooperates with the stations VII and VIII for testing the capsules C and, depending on the test result, the switching position of the guide flaps 24A and 24B, respectively thus pretending, along which guideway 33A, 33B, 34A and 34B, respectively, the respective capsule C is ejected either to the good side 25 or to the bad side 26. The actuating device 39 for the individually controllable guide flaps 24A and 24B comprises pneumatic cylinders, not shown here, of which each guide rod 32A and 32B is associated with one.

The guide flaps 24A and 24B each have two guide tracks 33A and 34A and 33B and 34B, which are formed by a substantially parallel to the pivot axis 31 aligned web 35A and 35B. The guideways 33A and 33B serve to convey capsules C from the receptacles 14A and 14B to the good side 25. The further guideways 34A and 34B serve to convey capsules C from the receptacles 14A and 14B to the bad side 26.

Further, at the guide flaps 24A and 24B, partition walls 36A and 36B oriented perpendicularly to the pivot axis 31 are formed to separate the guide paths of adjacent guide flaps. The partitions 36A and 36B are each an integral part of the respective guide flap 24A and 24B and thus made in one piece with the respective web 35A and 35B, respectively.

The guide flaps 24 A and 24 B, which in the Figures 11 and 12 are each shown in isolation, differ by the arrangement of the webs 35A and 35B and the guideways 33A and 34A and 33B and 34B formed thereon, which are adapted to the arrangement of laterally staggered rows of receptacles 14A and 14B of the carrier 13 ,

The distance between two adjacent guide flaps 24A and 24B is defined by an annular shoulder 37A and 37B, respectively, at a height of a few tenths of a millimeter, respectively surrounding a bearing bore 38A and 38B, respectively, over which the respective guide flap 24A and 24B are suspended from the pivot axis 31 is.

To support the promotion of capsules C to the bad side 26 of the capsule ejection station XI the bad side 26 is in this case subjected to suction.

In the FIGS. 4 . 5 and FIGS. 7 to 10 show different switching positions of the guide flaps 24A and 24B. At the switching position after the FIGS. 4 . 8th and 9 the capsule C is ejected along the guide track 33A to the good side 25. At the switching position after the Figures 5 . 7 and 10 For example, the capsule C is ejected along the guideway 34A to the bad side 26. Furthermore, in the switching position of the guide flap 24 B in the FIGS. 7 and 8th a capsule C arranged in a capsule receptacle 14B of the carrier 13 is ejected along the guideway 33B to the good side 25. In the switching position of the guide flap 24B in the Figures 9 and 10 the capsule C is ejected along the guideway 34B to the bad side 26.

Claims (8)

1. Machine for filling and closing two-part capsules (C), in particular hard gelatin capsules, having a capsule-conveying arrangement (12), which has holders (14A, 14B) for a respective capsule (C), and having at least one capsule-discharging station (XI) which comprises

   - a capsule-discharging arrangement (19) for discharging the capsules (C) axially from their respective holder (14A, 14B),

   - swing-action guide means (24A, 24B) which can be controlled individually by means of an actuating arrangement (39), can be pivoted in relation to a pivot pin (31), are each assigned to a capsule holder (14A, 14B) and each have two guide tracks (33A, 34A; 33B, 34B) which can be activated by means of the actuating arrangement (39) and are intended for the respectively associated capsule (C), and

   - partition walls (36A, 36B) which separate the guide tracks (33A, 34A; 33B, 34B) of adjacent swing-action guide means (24A, 24B) from one another,
   characterized in that the partition walls (36A, 36B) form a respectively integrated constituent part of a swing-action guide means (24A, 24B).
2. Machine according to Claim 1, characterized in that the swing-action guide means (24A, 24B) are mounted on a common pivot pin (31).
3. Machine according to Claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the swing-action guide means (24A, 24B) interact with two rows of capsule holders (14A, 14B).
4. Machine according to one of Claims 1 to 3, characterized in that adjacent swing-action guide means (24A, 24B) are separated from one another via a gap which is defined preferably by a shoulder (37A, 37B) in the bearing region of at least one of the adjacent swing-action guide means (24A, 24B).
5. Machine according to one of Claims 1 to 4, characterized in that at least one of the guides tracks (34A, 34B) of each swing-action guide means (24A, 24B) is subjected to the action of suction air.
6. Machine according to one of Claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the discharging arrangement (19) comprises push rods (21), which are each assigned to a capsule holder (14A, 14B).
7. Machine according to one of Claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the swing-action guide means (24A, 24B) can be activated in each case by means of a pneumatic cylinder.
8. Machine according to one of Claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the actuating arrangement (39) for the swing-action guide means (24A, 24B) interacts with at least one checking station (VII, VIII) for the capsules (C).

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