JP2000264301A - Method and device for filling tablet - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a tablet filling device for filling tablets one by one in the given posture into a pocket formed into the large dimension to be utilized for combined sizes on a resin film for forming and filling packaging. SOLUTION: A tablet chute 20 formed correspondingly to a pocket on a film and a tablet filling mechanism are provided close to the lower end of the table chute 20, and the tablet filling mechanism is provided with a mechanism of separating a tablet T from the tablet chute 20 from a following tablet and a mechanism of moving the separated tablet on a forward moving line of pockets P on the resin film and filling the tablet T held hereon when the pocket P reaches there.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a tablet filling apparatus suitable for use in a manufacturing process of a package for packing a solid preparation of a pharmaceutical product one by one, that is, a so-called extruded package (hereinafter referred to as a PTP package). .

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a PTP package, a large number of pockets are sequentially formed in a resin film band, and these pockets are filled with tablets or capsules (hereinafter simply referred to as tablets), sealed with a cover film, and punched for each sheet. It is manufactured by a molding, filling and packaging method. In this case, the mutual positions of the pockets are arranged in rows at regular intervals parallel to the flow direction of the film and rows repeated at regular intervals perpendicular to the flow direction for the convenience of the tablet filling and sealing steps. According to this method, when manufacturing a large amount of PTP packages, the size of the packages is optimized to minimize the material consumption, and the cost of packaging materials such as resin films (hereinafter simply referred to as films) is minimized. It was easy to do.
On the other hand, in recent years, while the types of medicines have increased, the production amount for each type has tended to decrease, and it has become necessary to review not only the packaging materials but also the manufacturing costs of the entire packaging process.
Regarding the manufacturing cost of PTP packages, in the case of small-lot production of various types, all of the molding die and seal die for forming pockets and the trimming die for punching for each sheet must be replaced every time the type is switched. Therefore, the weight of each mold manufacturing cost increases, and the trouble and cost of mold exchange cannot be ignored.

Conventionally, for example, even if the diameter of the tablet is in the range of 5 to 8 mm, a special molding die and a sealing die are required every time there is a slight difference in the tablet diameter, tablet thickness, or shape. There were dozens of them. Since such a molding die and the like are manufactured by engraving a large number of pocket dies precisely, the cost is high. Therefore, if the sizes and shapes of the pockets are grouped so that they can be used as molding dies, the manufacturing cost of the PTP package can be reduced. A problem in using the pocket size or the like is a step of filling tablets into the pockets. Tablet filling must be performed accurately and quickly one by one. As one type of tablet supply for tablet filling, a chute method in which a tablet naturally falls into a pocket by gravity through a feed tube has been used.

However, in this chute method, tablets are filled directly into the pockets on the film from the chute S. Therefore, tablets cannot be filled unless the size of the pockets is designed according to the size and shape of the tablets. is there. The reason will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG.
Shows a case where the depth Pd of the pocket P is larger than the thickness H of the tablet T, and the subsequent tablet T2 is in contact with the tablet T1. Therefore, in this state, the subsequent tablet T2 collides with the inner surface of the pocket P due to the movement of the film, and the tablet T2 and the pocket P are damaged, so that the tablet cannot be packed. Further, as another method of supplying tablets for tablet filling, a guide shoe having a filling drum for transferring tablets between a chute and a film and adapting its shape to the circumference of the drum is interposed. There is a so-called drum system. However, in this drum system, a large number of accommodation chambers for accommodating tablets for relay transfer must be formed around the drum. Since this tablet accommodating chamber is dedicated to each tablet, a cost for producing a drum is incurred for each tablet. In addition, there is a disadvantage that a separating mechanism such as a shutter for individually transferring the tablets from the chute to which the tablets are continuously fed to the accommodating chamber of the filling drum is indispensable, and the filling device becomes complicated, resulting in an increase in cost.

[0005]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, the present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and a tablet filling method for filling only one tablet in a predetermined position in a large pocket due to a combined size on a film and a tablet filling method. An object of the present invention is to provide a tablet filling device to reduce the manufacturing cost of a PTP package.

[0006]

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the present invention is directed to a method for forming pockets arranged in equally-spaced columns parallel to the film flow direction and rows repeated at regular intervals perpendicular to the flow direction. An apparatus for filling tablets into pockets on a film for forming, filling and packing having a tablet chute corresponding to a row of the pockets and provided between columns of the pockets; A tablet filling mechanism, wherein the tablet filling mechanism separates a tablet supplied from the tablet chute from a subsequent tablet, and moves and separates the separated tablets on a path of a pocket row on the film. The point is to have a mechanism. Further, the tablet filling mechanism has a slider supported to be swingable in the longitudinal direction, and the slider has a through hole for separating and holding one tablet supplied from the tablet chute. .
The through hole may be a U-shaped recess on the side surface of the slider.

Therefore, according to the present invention, the tablet continuously supplied from the tablet chute is separated by one tablet filling mechanism at the first position, and then moved on the path of the pocket row on the film. The next pocket can be filled at position 2. For example, a slider having a recess as a tablet holding through hole swings to separate tablets one by one. Since the separated tablets are not affected by the subsequent tablets, they are smoothly filled in the pockets even if the pocket size is large. Also,
The present invention is characterized in that the tablet filling mechanism has a slider supported so as to be swingable in the longitudinal direction thereof, and the slider has a through hole for separating and holding one tablet supplied from the tablet chute. Abstract. Thus, according to the present invention,
Since the slider of the tablet filling mechanism separates and holds one tablet supplied from the tablet chute and waits on the path of the pocket row, the tablet can be filled when the pocket arrives. Further, the gist of the present invention is that the tablet holding through-hole is a U-shaped recess formed on the side surface of the slider. Therefore, according to the present invention, the tablet can be held by the simple structure of the slider.

Further, the present invention relates to a method of filling each pocket on a film for forming and filling packaging with a tablet, the method corresponding to the row of the pocket and between the columns of the pocket and at least on the path of the pocket. Tablets are continuously supplied onto the film from the tablet shoots provided at partially overlapping positions, and the center of gravity of the tablets supplied from the tablet shoots onto the film is set to be smaller than the limit contact point between the tablet and the edge of the pocket. Inside the pocket, when the pocket approaches the chute, the tablet T slides down from the edge of the pocket into the pocket, and at the same time, moves horizontally to block the subsequent tablets and accommodates the tablet in the pocket. That was the gist. Therefore, according to the present invention, the tablets can be supplied from the tablet chute and waited on the film, and when the pocket approaches, the tablet can be dropped into the pocket and can be separated one by one from the following tablets.

The present invention also provides an apparatus for filling tablets into pockets on a film for forming, filling and packaging, comprising tablet chutes corresponding to rows of the pockets and provided between columns of the pockets. The tablet chute is at least partially overlapped on the path of the pocket, and the center of gravity of the tablet supplied from the tablet chute onto the film is located inside the pocket relative to the limit contact point between the tablet and the edge of the pocket. The gist is that the tablet slides down from the edge of the pocket into the pocket when the pocket approaches the chute, and at the same time moves horizontally to be accommodated in the pocket. Therefore, according to the present invention, the tablet supplied from the tablet chute and waiting on the film is slip-filled into the pocket because the center of gravity of the tablet is shifted in the pocket when approaching the pocket.

The present invention also relates to a tablet, wherein the center of gravity of the tablet is M, the effective radius when the tablet is engaged on the edge of the pocket is d, the diameter of the pocket is D, and the distance between the center of gravity M of the tablet and the edge of the pocket. When X is represented by X, the gist is that the distance X is in the range of D / 2−√ ((D / 2) ² −d ² ) <X <d. Therefore, according to the present invention, it is easy to set the position of the tablet chute for dropping the tablet into the pocket.

[0011]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a plan view of the tablet filling device 100. FIG. 2 shows a state in which the slider swings in the longitudinal direction in the tablet filling device of FIG. FIG.
FIG. FIG. 4 is a partial cross-sectional view of FIG. 3, in which the slider has been moved to a tablet-fillable position, that is, FIG. FIG. 5 shows a state in which the tablet is filled in the pocket at the filling position in FIG. In FIG. 1, a film F is continuously moving at a predetermined speed in a flow direction indicated by an arrow L. The film may be moved intermittently, but in such a case, the description is the same as that of the present embodiment. In the film F, a plurality of rows of pockets P for accommodating tablets are formed at equal intervals in a preceding step (not shown), and after the tablet filling step by the tablet filling apparatus 100, a sealing step by a cover film and a punching step (in any case). Also not shown) and transferred to P
The TP package is completed.

The size such as the diameter and depth of the pocket P formed in the previous step and the shape such as the inclination angle of the side of the pocket are as follows.
They are grouped so that tablets of various sizes can be accommodated together. Therefore, the pocket has a diameter that is too large for the majority of tablets. In addition, if the depth of the pocket is insufficient, the tablet becomes bulky after filling the tablet and cannot be sealed by the cover film. Therefore, the depth of the pocket is always larger than the maximum tablet thickness. Incidentally, the mutual positions of the pockets P are equally spaced rows parallel to the flow direction L of the film F,
They are arranged in rows that are perpendicular to the flow direction L and that are repeated at equal intervals.

The tablet chutes 20 are arranged at right angles to the flow direction L of the film F, that is, in a line of N groups corresponding to the rows of the pockets. The tablet chute 20 is a vertical tube in which the tablets can be continuously lowered. The slider 10 is supported near the lower end of the tablet chute 20 so as to be swingable in the longitudinal direction. The slider 10 is a guide member 11
And is connected to the link 13 via the pins 14 and 15. The drive wheel 16 reciprocates the slider 10 via the link 13 at a predetermined angular velocity in connection with a cycle in which the pocket rows on the film repeatedly reach the position of the tablet filling device. The slider 10 has N recessed openings 12 formed on the side surface of the film F in the same number as the number of rows of the pockets P on the side surface thereof. All the recesses 12 have a pair of parallel vertical surfaces 12a and a back wall surface 12b.
2b is formed parallel to the longitudinal direction of the slider 10. The tablets T can be temporarily held in these recesses 12.

Also, as shown in FIG.
The width W of the recess 12 may be sufficiently larger than the outer diameter R of the tablet T because the U-shaped opening is for separating the tablet T from the subsequent tablet T. Therefore, the inner diameter of the tablet chute 20 must correspond to the outer diameter R of each tablet, but the slider 10 having the recess 12 having the width W is economical because the tablet size can be shared to some extent. . The slider 10 has a thickness H smaller than that of the tablet T, and is supported by the guide member 11 at a height slightly away from the upper surface of the film. Upper surface 10 of slider 10
The height of “a” is slightly lower than the height of the upper surface Tf of the tablet T1 that has reached the upper surface of the film. Therefore, the slider 10
Moves horizontally (oscillates) in the direction of arrow G to separate the tablet T1 from the following tablet T2, and the tablet T1 can be moved on the path through which the pocket Pa passes as shown in FIG.

Next, the operation of the tablet filling apparatus according to the present embodiment having the above configuration will be described. Figure 1 shows a tablet shoot 2
This shows a state in which the recess 12 of the slider 10 is located immediately below 0. This is the first position of the recess 12. Tablets are continuously supplied to the tablet chute 20 from above by a feeder or the like (not shown).
The tablet T descending from the tablet chute 20 is temporarily stored in the recess 12 as shown in FIG. The bottom of the U-shaped recess 12 is the upper surface of the film F. Here, the film F is continuously moving, but since the moving direction L and the direction of the opening in the U shape of the recess 12 are opposite to each other, the tablet T1 is held in the recess 12 while sliding on the film. It has been done.

Next, as shown in FIG. 4, the slider 10 pushes out the tablet T1 by the wall surface 12a of the recess 12 perpendicular to the longitudinal direction to separate it from the subsequent tablet. This is the second position of the recess 12. This pushing operation is performed on film F,
That is, since the moving speed of the pocket P is sufficiently faster, the tablet T1 separated from the subsequent tablet is still held in the recess 12 and waits on the path of the pocket Pa. Then, when the pocket Pa reaches the position of the recess 12, the tablet T1 falls by its own weight as shown in FIG. 5 and is stored at the bottom of the pocket Pa in a horizontal posture. Thereafter, the slider 10 may be returned to the original position. Other pocket P
Are stored at the same time. If the tablet T1 is stored in the pocket P, the next sealing step and the following steps can be performed.

The tablet filling device of the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and various changes can be made without departing from the gist of the device. For example, since the recess 12 of the slider 10 separates and holds the tablet,
A round hole as a through hole may be provided instead of the recess 12.

According to the present embodiment, the tablets continuously supplied from the tablet chute can be separated and held by the tablet filling mechanism one by one, and can be filled when the pocket on the film reaches the filling position. . Since the tablets separated one by one are not affected by the following tablets, the tablets are smoothly filled even if the pocket size is large. Further, there is an advantage that the structure of the tablet filling mechanism can be simplified.

Next, another embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 6 is a plan layout view of a tablet filling device 200 according to the second embodiment of the present invention. FIG.
The B sectional view is shown superimposed on the sectional view of the pocket. In this embodiment, the function of the tablet chute 20 is the same as that of the first embodiment, but the tablet chute 21 is arranged at a position that partially overlaps the course of the pocket Pa. The film F is located immediately below the tablet chute 21 and the slider is omitted. The present inventor has found that there is a position at which the tablet chute 21 can be filled in a predetermined posture while separating tablets one by one. A pocket Pa is set at a position where the tablet chute 21 can be filled.
Is closest, the tablet T at the lower end of the chute 21 can slide down into the pocket sequentially from the edge of the pocket Pa. In addition, during this time, the subsequent tablet T 'does not ride on the preceding tablet T and doubly enter the pocket.

The position of the circular tablet T in the tablet chute 21 will be described.
That is, the center of gravity must be at least inside the edge of the pocket. Moreover, since the tablets T must not be double-supplied into the pocket without being separated from the tablet chute one by one, the tablets supplied from the tablet chute must be at least engaged with the edge of the pocket. No. If the tablet is engaged on the edge of the pocket, the avalanche of the tablet is prevented and the tablet does not fall directly into the pocket.

Since the tablet T has a shape in which the corner portion e of the outer periphery is removed so as to make it easier to drink, when the outer diameter of the tablet is R, the tablet is placed on the edge of the pocket P. The effective outer diameter at the time of joining is reduced by about 20%.
Therefore, the effective radius d of the tablet is as follows. d = (4/10) × R Further, in order to explain the position condition in which the tablet T slides inward of the pocket P, FIG. FIG. 3 schematically shows a plan view when the camera is placed on an edge. The tablet T has an effective circle t and rests on the edge of the pocket P. U is the side where the tablet contacts the film, V is the side where the tablet protrudes inside the pocket P, and J and K are the limit contact points between the tablet T and the edge of the pocket P.

Here, the center of gravity M of the tablet is on the same line as the limit contacts J and K and is on the verge of sliding down into the pocket P. If the center of gravity M of the tablet is on the inner side of the pocket P than the limit contacts J and K, the tablet can slide down into the pocket. At this time, the distance X between the edge of the pocket P and the center of gravity M of the tablet is: X = D / 2−CM and CM = √ ((D / 2) ² −d ² ), so that X = D / 2− √ ((D / 2) ² −d ² ).

Therefore, in order for the tablet to slide into the pocket, the center of gravity M of the tablet is at least inside the edge of the pocket P, and the tablet is engaged on the edge of the pocket P with an effective radius d. This is the condition for tablet filling. This can be expressed as the following equation. D / 2−√ ((D / 2) ² −d ² ) <X <d By setting the distance X between the edge of the pocket P and the center of gravity M of the tablet, ie, the center position of the tablet chute, within this range. When the pocket P reaches the position of the chute 21, the tablet T slides down from the edge of the pocket into the pocket, and is stored at the bottom of the pocket in a horizontal posture. This means that when the tablet T1 slides into the pocket from the edge of the pocket, the tablet T1 itself moves in the horizontal direction from the position of the chute 21 to the center of the pocket. Moreover, during this time, as shown in FIG. 7, the subsequent tablet T2 does not ride on the tablet T1 and enter the pocket. If the gap h between the lower end of the tablet chute 21 and the upper surface of the film is about １ ／ of the height of the tablet T, it is convenient for the tablet T to protrude inside the edge of the pocket and slide down into the pocket. .

According to this embodiment, the tablets continuously supplied from the tablet chute can be temporarily placed on the film, and can be filled into the pocket when the pocket on the film reaches the filling position. Since the tablets T slide down sequentially from the edges of the pockets into the pockets, even if the pocket size is large, the subsequent tablets do not climb onto the previous tablets and doubly enter the pockets. In addition, there is an advantage that the structure of the tablet filling mechanism can be simplified.

[0025]

According to the present invention, the tablets continuously supplied from the tablet chute are separated into one tablet by the tablet filling mechanism and then filled into the pocket on the film. Since the tablets separated one by one are not affected by the subsequent tablets, they can be smoothly filled in the pockets even if the pocket size is large because they are also used. Therefore, the manufacturing cost of the PTP package can be reduced. According to the present invention,
Since the slider of the tablet filling mechanism separates and holds one tablet supplied from the tablet chute, filling into the pocket becomes easy. Further, according to the present invention, the tablet can be held by the simple structure of the slider.

According to the present invention, the tablets supplied from the tablet chute and waiting on the film can be dropped into the pocket when the pocket approaches, and can be separated one by one from the following tablets. Further, according to the present invention, the position setting of the tablet shoot for dropping the tablet into the pocket becomes easy. Further, according to the present invention, the tablet supplied from the tablet chute and waiting on the film can slide down into the pocket because the center of gravity of the tablet is deviated in the pocket when the pocket approaches.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 shows a plan view of a tablet filling device of the present invention.

FIG. 2 shows a state in which a slider swings in a longitudinal direction in the tablet filling device.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line AA of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 shows a state where the slider has moved to a tablet filling position in FIG.

FIG. 5 shows a state in which the tablet is filled in the pocket in FIG.

FIG. 6 shows a plan view of another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken along the line BB of FIG. 5;

FIG. 8 shows a schematic plan view of a tablet and a pocket.

FIG. 9 shows a conventional technique.

[Explanation of symbols]

 T tablet P pocket 100 tablet filling device 20 chute 10 slider 12 recess 200 tablet filling device

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. A tablet is filled in each pocket on a film for forming and filling, which has regularly spaced columns parallel to the flow direction of the film and pockets arranged in rows repeated at regular intervals perpendicular to the flow direction. A tablet chute corresponding to a row of the pocket and provided between columns of the pocket; and a tablet filling mechanism proximate a lower end of the tablet chute, wherein the tablet filling mechanism comprises the tablet A tablet filling device comprising: a mechanism for separating a tablet supplied from a chute from a subsequent tablet; and a mechanism for moving and separating the separated tablet on the path of a row of pockets on the film. 2. The tablet filling mechanism has a slider supported to be swingable in a longitudinal direction thereof, and the slider has a through hole for separating and holding one tablet supplied from the tablet chute. At the same time, the through hole receives the tablet from the tablet chute at the first position on the film upper surface, then holds the tablet and moves to the second position on the path of the pocket row on the film. 2. The tablet filling device according to claim 1, wherein the tablet is filled when the pocket on the film reaches the second position. 3. The tablet holding hole according to claim 2, wherein the tablet holding hole is a U-shaped opening on the side surface of the slider.
Tablet filling equipment. 4. A tablet is filled in each pocket on a film for forming, filling and packaging having regularly spaced columns parallel to the flow direction of the film and pockets arranged in rows repeated at regular intervals perpendicular to the flow direction. Continuously feeding tablets onto the film from tablet chutes provided at positions corresponding to the rows of the pockets and between the columns of the pockets and at least partially over the course of the pockets, In addition, the center of gravity of the tablet supplied from the tablet chute onto the film is set inward of the pocket from the limit contact point between the tablet and the edge of the pocket. When the pocket approaches the chute, the tablet T is moved to the edge of the pocket. The tablet filling method is characterized in that the tablet is slid down into the pocket, and at the same time, is moved in the horizontal direction so as to prevent the subsequent tablet from being accommodated in the pocket. 5. A tablet is filled in each pocket on a film for forming and filling packaging, which has regularly spaced columns parallel to the flow direction of the film and pockets arranged in rows repeated at regular intervals perpendicular to the flow direction. A tablet chute corresponding to a row of the pocket and provided between columns of the pocket, wherein the tablet chute is at least partially overlapped on a path of the pocket, and
When the center of gravity of the tablet supplied from the tablet chute onto the film is located inward of the pocket from the limit contact point between the tablet and the edge of the pocket, and when the pocket approaches the position of the chute,
A tablet filling device characterized in that the tablet slides down from the edge of the pocket into the pocket, and at the same time moves horizontally to be stored in the pocket. 6. The center of gravity of the tablet is M, the effective radius when the tablet is engaged on the edge of the pocket is d, the diameter of the pocket is D, and the distance between the center of gravity M of the tablet and the edge of the pocket is X. 6. The tablet filling device according to claim 5, wherein the distance X is in a range of D / 2−√ ((D / 2) ² −d ² ) <X <d.